Composed in 1828 in Franz Schubert‘s final days, Schwanengesang (Swan Song) traverses a myriad of emotions, from despair and delusion to ecstasy and love, to form a series of masterful snapshots of all that life can offer. Sitting at the pinnacle of a vocalist’s repertory, these emotive works are given a thrilling new life in the world premiere of a theatrical staging by one of opera’s most adventurous directors, Claus Guth.
Performed by world-renowned tenor Jonas Kaufmann with his long-time collaborator pianist Helmut Deutsch, the heart-melting collection of songs is amplified by additional Schubert repertory, an evocative soundscape, and transformative light and video projections to create a production that is part performance and part installation art.