Sir John Eliot Gardiner conductor and staging
Elsa Rooke director
Furio Zanasi Ulisse
Lucile Richardot Penelope
Hana Blažiková Minverva, Fortuna
Krystian Adam Telemaco
Fernando Fernández-Rueda Eumete
Robert Burt Iro
Zachary Wilder Eurimaco
Anna Dennis Melanto
John Taylor Ward Giove
Francesca Boncompagni Giunone
Francesca Biliotti Eurimaco
Silvia Frigato Amore
and additional soloists
Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643)
Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria
Opera in a prologue and three acts
The cunning Odysseus, King of Ithaca, who became a hero in the Trojan War, gets lost on his journey back and spends 10 years crossing the seas with his crew searching for home. He has to go through numerous adventures before he can find his home and thus himself. But when he finally arrives there, nothing is as it had been. His wife Penelope is being pressed by several suitors. And no one recognizes Odysseus; he must first prove that he is who he is. That is the background situation with which Claudio Monteverdi opens his opera Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria (1639-40) – and it’s hard to imagine a piece better suited to the theme of “Identity.” This work is a milestone in the history of opera: “Monteverdi’s musical equipment, his ‘armory,’ if you like, marks the beginning of a modern system of musical expression,” observes Sir John Eliot Gardiner, who continues his Monteverdi cycle in Lucerne with Ulisse. “All subsequent generations of composers have benefited from his achievements.”
Special Offer: Bring Young Listeners to a Concert for Free
What could be lovelier than introducing young listeners to the enchanting world of classical music? When you buy a ticket for this concert, you will receive a free ticket allowing you to share the concert with a young guest. This offer is for children and youths up to and including 17 years of age – as long as tickets last. You may order your concert tickets by calling +41(0)41 226 44 80. We are available from Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.