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Opera in 12 Acts (2026)
The heart is far more than an organ – it symbolizes feelings, longings, and pain and is at the center of Matthias Pintscher's opera "The Cold Heart."
Image gallery
Foto: Maximilian Semlinger / Artwork: Laura Buechner
A man wants to leave his painful emotions behind, his lover strives for connection, while supernatural forces claim the heart for themselves. The composer sets these mystical and moving events to music with overwhelming sounds.
The libretto was written by Daniel Arkadij Gerzenberg, who was inspired by Wilhelm Hauff's fairy tale of the same name from 1827. In his poetic text, the gloomy forest also serves as a fascinating backdrop for the profound abysses of human existence.
The production is directed by American director James Darrah, who works in opera, drama, and film. Together with his team, he creates mysterious stage worlds that perfectly showcase Pintscher's extraordinary music.
- Music by Matthias Pintscher
- Text by Daniel Arkadij Gerzenberg
(Language: In German with German and English surtitles)
Additional information
Cast
Coproduction with the Opéra national de Paris and the Teatro Massimo, Palermo
Recommended age: 16 and up
- Musical director: Matthias Pintscher
- Director: James Darrah Black
- Stage manager: José Darío Innella, Leander Teßmer
- Set design: Adam Rigg
- Costumes: Molly Irelan
- Lighting: Yi Zhao
- Video: Hana S. Kim
- Co-director: Anderson Nunnelley
- Dramaturgy: Olaf A. Schmitt
- Peter: Samuel Hasselhorn
- Mother: Katarina Bradić
- Anubis: Rosie Aldridge
- Clara: Sophia Burgos
- Azaël: Sunnyi Melles
- Old Woman: Adriane Queiroz
- Child: Soloist from the State Opera Children's Choir
Coproduction with the Opéra national de Paris and the Teatro Massimo, Palermo
Recommended age: 16 and up
Participating artists
Daniel Arkadij Gerzenberg (Autor/in)
Matthias Pintscher (Komponist/in)
Dates
January 2026
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