Work of the Week - Werner Egk: Der Revisor

“Opera houses will jump at the chance to present this opera” headlined the daily newspaper “Die Welt” in their report on the 1957 world premiere of Werner Egk’s Der Revisor. Many many productions later, the Stadttheater in Gießen will present a new production directed Cathérine Miville and conducted by Herbert Gietzen to close the opera houses’s season.

Based on the comedy of the same name by Nikolai Gogal, the five-act opera takes place in a provincial Russian town during the mid 19th century. Everyone in the village is waiting for the arrival of a feared inspector general from the capital and soon the residents persuade themselves that he must be the ominous stranger in the local guesthouse. Focusing on the liveliness of the characters though the expressive music, Der Revisor is full of slapstick and irony created by Egk’s masterful command of musical humour.

Six performances will take place in Gießen until 1st July 2010.

• Werner Egk - Profile
  
• Website of the Stadttheater Gießen