“A riveting and rousing piece. [Director] Christian Räth’s astute production…[makes] a case for 19th-century French grand opera.” —Wall Street Journal

“Leon Botstein has a penchant for reappraisal. He mounted a persuasive argument for Le prophète.” —The New York Times

“Botstein and the American Symphony Orchestra gave the audience unadulterated beauty.” —OperaWire

Religion, power, ego, and manipulation collide in composer Giacomo Meyerbeer’s glorious psychodrama.

Shepherded by a trio of sinister Anabaptists, the simple innkeeper Jean de Leyde is persuaded to proclaim himself king of Münster. Armed with charismatic leadership, Jean mobilizes the masses to mount a tumultuous religious uprising—denouncing his mother, Fidès, and antagonizing his beloved Berthe along the way.

Director Christian Räth (Die schweigsame Frau, 2022; Das Wunder der Heliane, 2019) returned for a third SummerScape to lead a visionary new production of a grand opera with colorful vocal passages, inventive orchestrations, and a catastrophic end.

Credits

Composer Giacomo Meyerbeer
Libretto Eugène Scribe and Émile Deschamps

New Production
Sung in French with English supertitles

American Symphony Orchestra
Conductor Leon Botstein, Music Director

Bard Festival Chorale
Chorus Master James Bagwell

Direction Christian Räth
Set Design Christian Räth and Daniel Unger
Costume Design Mattie Ullrich
Choreography Catherine Galasso
Lighting Design Rick Fisher
Projection Design Elaine McCarthy
Hair/Makeup Design Anika Seitu
Supertitle Translation and Design Corinne Hayes