Hamlet is one of the great themes in cultural history: the combination of thriller and philosophical drama proved to be a guarantee of success. One of the least known and certainly most unusual opera versions is Francesco Gasparini's Ambleto, which premiered in Venice in 1706. The highly virtuosic baroque opera is based on the Danish chronicles Gesta Danorum, which also inspired Shakespeare, but here the focus is entirely on the tragic story of revenge. Gasparini, a student of Arcangelo Corelli and teacher of Domenico Scarlatti, whose music inspired Johann Sebastian Bach, wrote his successful piece for the castrato Nicolini, who was also a talented actor. Nicolini ensured that Ambleto was put on the London repertoire in 1712 - and the sheet music there has been preserved to this day. In Vienna, the countertenor Raffaele Pe now takes on the coloratura-rich and complex title character. After her successful production of La liberazione, Ilaria Lanzino, a director who has caused a sensation in recent years with her imaginative, courageous and multiple award-winning productions, returns to the MusikTheater an der Wien.
Premiere: May 6, 2025
Further performances: 8, 10, 12, 14 and 17 May 2025
www.theater-wien.at