drei (ver-)suchungen

The opera ensemble WorkshOpera Bern and the orchestras of the Kantonsschule Wohlen and the Neue Kantonsschule Aarau are making history. Cell phones stay at home, the school trip becomes an adventure: instead of scrolling through sensational news, we experience the stories live.
An event not to be missed!

26.02.26 Aula Kantonsschule Wohlen
27.02.26 Forge Aeschbachhalle Aarau
28.02.26 Zulauf Garden Center Schinznach - Village

PROGRAM

We have skillfully combined music on the theme of witches and plants into an hour-long, enjoyable “pasticcio”, an “opera pie”.
Under the direction of Ricardo Acosta, a Mexican conductor and composer living in Bern, works from existing operas by Purcell, Handel, Wagner, Bernstein, and others will be performed.

«Overture» by Ricardo Acosta (*1993), composed especially for the Hexenoper!
«Ombra mai fù» by G.F. Handel (1685-1759), from the opera «Xerxes»
“Wayward sisters” by Henry Purcell (1659-1695), from the opera “Dido and Aeneas”
“Witches dance” by Henry Purcell (1659-1695), from the opera “Dido and Aeneas”
“Eine Hex steinalt” Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921), from the fairy-tale opera “Hansel und Gretel”
“Flower Duet” Léo Delibes (1836-1891) -Lakmé
«Witches' Choir» by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), from the opera «Macbeth»
«Knusper, knusper, knäuschen» Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921), from the fairy tale opera “Hansel und Gretel”
«Hexenritt» by Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921), from the fairy-tale opera «Hansel und Gretel»
“War einst ne böse Hexe wohl” Richard Wagner (1813-1883), from the opera “Die Feen”
“Juchhei, nun ist die Hexe tot” Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921), from the fairy-tale opera “Hansel und Gretel”
"Make our garden grow" Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), from the operetta "Candide"
“Don’t feed the plants” Alan Menken (*1949) / Howard Ashman (1950-1991), from the musical “Little Shop of Horrors”

CONTRIBUTORS

Julia Frischknecht, SOPRANO

Ambra Biaggi MEZZOSOPRAN

Luigi Chiaramonte COUNTERTENOR

Arion Rudari BARITONE

Leo Bachmann BASS

Ricardo Acosta, SONDUCTOR

Orchestra of the Kantonsschule Wohlen and the Neue Kantonsschule Aarau

Ideas. Processes. Collaboration. What lies behind the witch opera?

The Witch Opera project led to an inspiring collaboration with the Neue Kantonsschule Aarau. Our partners share impressions and insights into this shared journey on their blog.

To the blog post

Photos: Jeremy Chételat