Werther

Soon after its publication, Goethe’s 1774 epistolary novel The Sorrows of Young Werther became a cult book. The work is a seminal text of the German proto-Romantic literary movement known as Sturm und Drang, whose adherents placed emphasis on human emotionality as the answer to the detached rationalism of the Enlightenment era. Linking up to his teacher Thomas and his colleague Gounod, the compositional style of Massenet’s opera is primarily noted for abundant distinct melody and colourful orchestration, inspired in part by Richard Wagner. The evocative musical idiom serves to underline a story replete with passions the protagonists fail to satisfy.

Massenet's Werther is one of the most acclaimed French operas. The currently revived production received its premiere on 14 January 1996 at the Het Muziektheater (Nederlandse Opera) in Amsterdam and after several stagings in other European opera houses also on 7 June 2018 at the National Theatre in Prague.

Suitable for audience from 12 years.