Over Easter, Malmö Opera will stage an exciting collaboration with The Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Concerto Copenhagen and Skånes Dansteater: Mozart’s opera Mithridate as a gesamtkunstwerk with modern dance, virtuoso singing, art, sound, voices and music.
Ralf Pleger, Alexander Polzin and Fernando Melo, who are responsible for direction, scenography and choreography, respectively, are a very interesting trio. Pleger is one of today’s most innovative directors and filmmakers. He often creates gesamtkunstwerk, combining different art forms. He is driven by an ambition to create works that do not resemble anything seen before.
Polzin’s stage designs are characterized by great imagination and originality (he is also a sculptor and a painter) with a distinct style.
Melo choreographs for dance companies all over the world and also often works with opera. Together, this trio has, among other things, staged an acclaimed production of Tristan and Isolde at La Monnaie in Brussels.
PLOT SUMMARY
The plot revolves around King Mitridate and his sons who are competing for Aspasia’s love. Mitridate was a real historical figure who ruled over Pontos in northern Anatolia (present-day Turkey) about 100 BC. In the opera, as it was in real life, he tries in vain to beat the Romans in battle.