Sun, 21 Jan 2024 20:00

Zimmermann: Die Soldaten

Gürzenich-Orchester Köln / François-Xavier Roth / Calixto Bieito

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This concert has already taken place! ~~€12 | 21 | 43 | 60 | 72~~

Orchestral machine

Bernd Alois Zimmermann’s opera »Die Soldaten« was long regarded as unplayable because, in addition to the orchestra and singers, it requires a jazz combo, dancers and tape playback. But on 15 February 1965, »Die Soldaten« was finally premiered by Cologne’s Gürzenich-Orchester – with tremendous success! Cologne’s General Music Director François-Xavier Roth and the Spanish director Calixto Bieito now present Zimmermann’s work of total theatre as a stunning concert-hall installation!

In »Die Soldaten«, Zimmermann explores his personal experiences in the Second World War and the atomic threat the world was facing. In a scintillating tonal language that is also clearly influenced by the Impressionist play of colours, he develops a dystopia that has lost none of its power over the years since it was composed. According to director Calixto Bieito, the orchestra becomes »one big, murderous machine that can eat people up and spit them out again transformed.« And, as in 1965, the orchestra performing this momentous work is the Gürzenich-Orchester.

Programme (booklet)

Zimmermann: Die Soldaten (German only) (PDF, 3.6 MB)

Performers

Gürzenich-Orchester Köln

Herrenchor und Extrachor der Oper Köln

Tómas Tómasson Wesener, a fancy goods dealer in Lille

Emily Hindrichs Marie, his daughter

Judith Thielsen Charlotte, his daughter

Kismara Pezzati Wesener's old mother

Nikolay Borchev Stolzius, draper in Armentières

Alexandra Ionis Stolzius’ mother

Lucas Singer Obrist, Count of Spannheim

Martin Koch Desportes, a nobleman from French Hennegau in the French army

John Heuzenroeder Pirzel, a captain

Oliver Zwarg Eisenhardt, an army chaplain

Miljenko Turk Haudy, captain

Wolfgang Stefan Schwaiger Mary, captain

Yongseung Song Three young officers

Artjom Korotkov Three young officers

Young Woo Kim Three young officers

Laura Aikin Countess de la Roche

Alexander Kaimbacher The young count, her son

Denise Meisner Madame Roux, proprietress of the coffee house

Alexander Fedin Countess de la Roche's footman

Ján Rusko Young cadet

Frederik Schauhoff Drunken officer

Anthony Sandle Three captains

Heiko Köpke Three captains

Carsten Mainz Three captains

conductor François-Xavier Roth

Calixto Bieito staging

Programme

Bernd Alois Zimmermann
Die Soldaten / opera in four acts based on the play of the same name by Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz

Staged concert
mit Pause

Pre-Concert Talk

with Verena Mogl (in German)

19:00 / Elbphilharmonie, Großer Saal

Estimated end time

22:15

Subscription

Elbphilharmonie for Connoisseurs

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Series

Opera in Concert

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Spotlight

François-Xavier Roth

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Live Broadcast

The concert will be available as a stream in the Elbphilharmonie Mediatheque from 25 January.

Promoter: HamburgMusik

From the Mediatheque : Videos, Podcasts, Articles

Video on demand from 25 Jan 2024 : Bernd Alois Zimmermann’s »Die Soldaten«

François-Xavier Roth and the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne present Zimmermann's opera »Die Soldaten« in a spectacular production by Calixto Bieito. #Singing #LiveStream #ContemporaryMusic

Video on demand from 27 Sep 2023 : Les Siècles / François-Xavier Roth

François-Xavier Roth and his orchestra Les Siècles combine Mozart’s Salzburg sounds with Ligeti, whose 100th birthday we mark this year. The star guest is Alexander Melnikov. #Piano #LiveStream

Opera in Concert Versions

The Elbphilharmonie is not an opera house, it’s true – but first-class music theatre can also be heard here, either in a concert version or as an interesting hybrid model. #Singing

Location : Elbphilharmonie
Großer Saal

Heart of the Elbphilharmonie: the Grand Hall seats 2,100 guests in the »vineyard« style. The stage for artists and orchestras is situated at the centre of the concert hall and is surrounded by terraced seating.

Arrival time

The Elbphilharmonie is a special building situated in a special place. Allow for plenty of time for getting to the Elbphilharmonie and the way to the concert area. We suggest visitors arrive at the Elbphilharmonie Plaza not later than 30 minutes before the start of the concert or event. Late seating is not guaranteed and latecomers may not be admitted to the concert hall.

Concert tickets for the Grand and Recital Halls authorise a visit to the Plaza from two hours before the start of the concert or event. Visitors to the Kaistudios require a separate Plaza ticket to visit the Plaza.

Admission times:

Events without pre-concert talk:
Grand Hall Foyer: 60 minutes before the start of the event
Grand Hall: 30 minutes before the start of the event

Events with pre-concert talk:
Grand Hall Foyer: 90 minutes before the start of the event
Grand Hall: 15 minutes before the start of the talk

If a pre-concert talk is offered for this event, it is noted above under PROGRAMME.
Getting here

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
Platz der Deutschen Einheit
20457 Hamburg

The Elbphilharmonie can be easily reached by bus, underground, bicycle and ferry.

The nearest stops include:
Underground line U3: Baumwall
Underground line U4: Überseequartier
Bus 2, 111: Am Kaiserkai (Elbphilharmonie)
Bus 6: Auf dem Sande (Speicherstadt)
Ferry 72 (from Landungsbrücken pier): »Elbphilharmonie« pier
StadtRAD (bicycle sharing system) stations: U Baumwall (Elbphilharmonie) and Am Kaiserkai / Großer Grasbrook

Multistorey car park in the Elbphilharmonie (open 24/7, 435 parking spaces):
Please note that visitors to the Elbphilharmonie should use the entrance marked »Elbphilharmonie«. The entrance »Elbphilharmonie Hotel« is reserved for »The Westin Hamburg« hotel guests.

Please find more information about prices and advance booking of the discounted flat rate on this page: arrival by car
Finding your seat

All visitors enter the building via the main entrance; access to the concert hall is via the »Plaza«, the viewing platform on the 8th floor of the Elbphilharmonie. The Plaza can be reached from the entrance area via the long escalator. Your tickets will be checked twice, at the access control in the entrance area and on the Plaza in front of the staircase to the Great Hall.

The hall entrances are on floors 12, 13, 15 and 16.
Cloakroom

The cloakrooms are located on the 11th floor (fee: € 2). Jackets and handbags may be taken into the hall.

Walking-stick umbrellas, bags sized A3 (42 x 30 cm) or above, luggage and other bulky items must be stored in the lockers (largest size 27 x 87 x 47 cm) located in the corridor leading to the ticket shop on the ground floor (on the right-hand side of the entrance area).

Strollers and prams can be left with the admissions personnel on the Plaza. Wheeled walkers can be handed in at the hall entrances.
Toilet Facilities

The central toilet facility is located on the 13th floor of the Grand Hall Foyer. Further facilities can be found on floors 11, 12 and 15.

Fully accessible toilets are located on floors 12 (north side) and 13 (right-hand side of the large bar). Our front-of-house staff is happy to assist you in this regard.
Photography and video recordings

It is forbidden to take photographs or record videos during a concert or event. Video recordings and photography are permitted for private purposes only on the Plaza and in the foyers as well as before the start or following an event in the concert hall, provided that you respect the privacy of other visitors and do not interfere with regular business operations. Employees may not be photographed or filmed.

Photography, audio or video recordings of concerts and events are strictly prohibited.

Event-related video recordings or photographs for editorial or commercial purposes must be authorised by the Press Office of the Elbphilharmonie.
Accessibility

All halls and spaces are accessible for visitors with disabilities. More information at www.elbphilharmonie.de/en/accessibility.

Lifts to the Plaza are located in the tunnel on the right-hand side of the Tube (long escalator). From the Plaza, access to the Grand and Recital Hall foyers is via lifts, also located to the right. Please note: cloakrooms for visitors to the Grand Hall are only located on the 11th floor. From there, the upper floors can be accessed via further lifts.
Coughing, clapping, chatting – Tips for your concert visit

A concert at the Elbphilharmonie is a unique experience for both audience and artists. Guests and musicians alike rave about the precise acoustics in the Grand Hall. You can hear every note, even from the highest balcony.

Unfortunately, the opposite is also true: even presumably quiet noises from the audience are clearly audible in the entire hall. We therefore ask our visitors to take the following recommendations into consideration: Tips for your concert visit