Ariadne on Naxos Vienna

Ariadne auf Naxos — Richard Strauss at the Vienna State Opera

Sven-Eric Bechtolf's witty and inventive production — featuring three disassembled grand pianos as the desert island — has been a Vienna favourite since 2012. In this meta-theatrical masterpiece, opera seria and commedia dell'arte collide when a wealthy patron demands that a tragic opera and a comedy troupe perform simultaneously. The result is Richard Strauss at his most brilliant and entertaining.

Cornelius Meister conducts a formidable cast: Anja Kampe as the abandoned Ariadne, the dazzling Erin Morley as Zerbinetta (one of the most demanding coloratura roles in the repertoire), and Clay Hilley as the god Bacchus. Rolf and Marianne Glittenberg designed the sets and costumes. Strauss's score is a miracle of musical wit, soaring from Ariadne's deeply felt lament to Zerbinetta's acrobatic showpiece aria Grossmächtige Prinzessin.

• Conductor: Cornelius Meister
• Stage Director: Sven-Eric Bechtolf (set: Rolf Glittenberg, costumes: Marianne Glittenberg)
• Cast: Anja Kampe (Ariadne), Erin Morley (Zerbinetta), Clay Hilley (Bacchus)
• Performances: 19, 22 & 25 February 2026
• Venue: Vienna State Opera — Opernring 2, 1010 Vienna
• Duration: Approx. 2 hours 30 minutes (prologue and opera)
• Language: German

Opera about opera — Strauss at his most brilliant. Book your Ariadne auf Naxos tickets now.