From darkness into light: the life and work of Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri's portrait by Sandro Botticelli

Mapa del Infierno by Sandro Botticelli

Codex Altonensis, an extraordinarily ornate manuscript of La Divinia Commedia (1350-1410)

Lucifer as depicted in the Codex Altonensis

Inferno, Canto XVIII by Sandro Botticelli

By Alexandra Richter, 14 September 2021

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Isabella Steppan, 17th September

Isabella Steppan explores Giacomo Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, the third and final part of his Il trittico (The Triptych).

Divine intervention: Wayne McGregor on choreographing Dante

Sarah Kirkup, 16th September

Wayne McGregor’s ambitious ballet based on The Divine Comedy, with a commissioned score by Thomas Adès, is finally receiving its complete premiere – exactly 700 years after Dante’s death. The choreographer talks to Sarah Kirkup about the intricate process behind this multi-arts collaboration.

Prelude to a kiss: Rachmaninov’s Francesca da Rimini

Mark Pullinger, 15th September

The tale of Francesca and Paolo in Dante’s Inferno has inspired as many musical settings as paintings. Here, Mark Pullinger explores Rachmaninov’s neglected opera, Francesca da Rimini.

Bachtrack top ten: Dante Alighieri

Mark Pullinger & Elisabeth Schwarz, 13th September

Mark and Elisabeth descend to Hell to find the right soundtrack for Dante Week and to mark the 700th anniversary of the poet’s death.

Far from daily life: Saaremaa and Narva Opera Festivals

Simon Cummings, 12th June

Every summer, Saaremaa Opera Festival and Narva Opera Days are held at the extreme west and eastern ends of Estonia – far from everyday life, where things can become uncanny, unpredictable and fantastical.

The forgotten German composer who pioneered opera in Japan

David Grundy, 29th May

A leading composer and conductor of opera in Germany, Manfred Gurlitt’s Jewish ancestry led to his music being banned. Emigrating to Japan, Gurlitt became a pioneer of opera and Western classical music in Japan, a legacy still felt today.

Alexandra Richter

Alexandra hat Medienwissenschaften studiert und arbeitet als Filmproduzentin in Frankfurt. Tagsüber sind die Kunstausstellungen und Museen ganz Europas ihr zu Hause. Die Abende verbringt sie gern in der Oper und im Konzertsaal. Hier liegen ihre Schwerpunkte bei Romantischen Komponist*innen, wie Schubert und Wagner. Aber auch zeitgenössische und moderne Musik finden immer wieder Beachtung.