Love is in the hare: a new Cunning Little Vixen opens in Berlin

Monika Rittershaus (Forester)

Magdalena Kožená (Fox) and Vera-Lotte Boecker (Vixen)

Vera-Lotte Boecker (Vixen) and Anna Samuil (Rooster)

Students of the Staatliche Ballett

Vera-Lotte Boecker (Vixen)

By Elena Luporini, 02 March 2026

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“in the title role, Vera-Lotte Boecker showed mastery of her voice, movements and Czech prosody”

Reviewed at Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin on 28 February 2026

Janáček, The Cunning Little Vixen

Staatsoper Berlin

Sir Simon Rattle, Conductor

Ted Huffman, Director

Nadja Sofie Eller, Set Designer

Astrid Klein, Costume Designer

Bertrand Couderc, Lighting Designer

Staatskapelle Berlin

Staatsopernchor Berlin

Svatopluk Sem, Forester

Vera-Lotte Boecker, Vixen

Magdalena Kožená, Fox

David Oštrek, Parson, Badger

Florian Hoffmann, Schoolmaster, Mosquito

Stephan Rügamer, Schoolmaster, Mosquito

Sandra Laagus, Lapák

Carles Pachón, Harašta

Anna Samuil, Rooster

Adriane Queiroz, Chocholka, Mrs Paškova

Sonja Herranen, Jay

Pim Veulings, Choreography

Eyes wide shut for Berlin’s new Ballo

Mark Pullinger, 29th March

At the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Rafael R Villalobos addresses the problems he perceives with Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, although the musical performances – led by Anna Netrebko – compensate.

***11

Young stars shine in the Staatsoper Berlin’s Rosenkavalier

Mark Pullinger, 28th March

Patricia Nolz makes an outstanding role debut as Christian Thielemann conducts a thrusting Rosenkavalier to open the Staatsoper Unter den Linden's Festtage.

*****

Pintscher’s Das kalte Herz premieres at Staatsoper Unter den Linden

Elena Luporini, 14th January

On a snowy January evening, the premiere of Matthias Pintscher’s new opera Das kalte Herz fails to warm up the Berlin public.

**111

Happy 100th birthday, Wozzeck! Thielemann leads Berlin revival

Elena Luporini, 14th December

The Staatsoper Unter den Linden celebrates the 100th birthday of Alban Berg's masterpiece with a stellar cast in Andrea Breth’s revived production.

***11

Low on laughs: Die schweigsame Frau in Berlin

Elena Luporini, 19th July

Newly General Music Director Christian Thielemann and Jan Philipp Gloger bring Richard Strauss' Die schweigsame Frau to the Staatsoper Berlin for the first time, but la commedia is hardly stupenda.

**111

A Norma cooking on medium at Berlin’s Staatsoper Unter den Linden

Elena Luporini, 13th April

Despite excellent performances from Rachel Willis-Sørensen and Elmina Hasan, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden's new production of Norma lacks a pinch of salt.

***11

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Elena Luporini

After completing their Master's degree in Musicology in Rome, Elena has now moved to Berlin to dedicate themselves to more things musical. With a publication on Béla Bartók and a seminar at the Humboldt-Universität underway, their interests mostly veer toward 20th-century opera, with some forays into queer musicology. Some of their latest undertakings also include oboe lessons, stencil-making and tea-making.

Love is in the hare: a new Cunning Little Vixen opens at the Staatsoper Berlin