Der Prinz von Homburg

by Hans Werner Henze
Opera in three acts after the play by
Heinrich von Kleist, arranged for music by Ingeborg Bachmann
in German with German subtitles
At times, the prince of Homburg lives in a dreamlike state. In the midst of a battle, therefore, he acts against supreme military orders, but comes out as the winner. Closely follows, however, a real nightmare because insubordination is punished with the death penalty. In his composition, Hans Werner Henze formulates a Utopian idea: neither rank nor limiting system define human relationships but emotions themselves. Characters dare to enter the forlorn realm of dreams in order to find themselves and each other – at the risk of perceiving reality’s frailty.
Location
Opernhaus
First performed in 1960 in Hamburg
Revised in 1991

This production's premiere
March 17, 2019
Recommended age
from grade 10