MONGOLIAN STATE ACADEMIC THEATRE OF OPERA AND BALLET PRESENTS
Verdi’s MACBETH
Experience the unparalleled fusion of Shakespeare’s gripping drama and Verdi’s stirring music as the Mongolian Opera House proudly presents Macbeth for the first time in Mongolia. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of history and witness world-class opera at its finest under the baton of the renowned Italian conductor Stefano Torboli. Secure your seats now and immerse yourself in this unforgettable spectacle, where passion, ambition, and destiny collide in a breathtaking performance you’ll never forget.
MSATOB and ESM joint production
Verdi has been a constant presence at the Opera House in Ulaanbaatar for many years. Strong and convincing heroines like Violetta and Aida are familiar precedents to Lady Macbeth on this stage. However, 2023 marks the Premiere of Verdi’s Macbeth at the State Opera House and is the Major new production of the season.
By the King’s Men Shakespeare’s company of actors. Our selection of Verdi’s settling of a play performed by the King’s Men Shakespeare’s company of actors to please a new king, James I, by the greatest writer England had produced is not by accident. The Opera House and the English School of Mongolia (ESM) have enjoyed growing links for over a decade with many ESM shows on the stage here and a Tour to England of Rodgers and Hammerstein “Oklahoma” last year including 18 MSATOB performers. This, though, is the first time they have worked together in co-production for this staging: the Opera House, of Course, providing the voices for the main roles, choreography, chorus and Orchestra, but supported in smaller parts by young actors, dancers and singers from ESM, who have also provided Stefano Torboli; an Italian Conductor for the production, a previous visiting guest
Artist when “Hector Mcdonald”, a modernish version of Tchaikowsky’s “Eugene Onegin” was put on at the Opera House in 2017.
This year marks the 60 th Anniversary of Britain – as the first western Country to do so – establishing diplomatic relations with Mongolia, in a firm friendship and alliance which has lasted ever since. And May 6 th , the last weekend of the current run of the Opera, marks the Coronation Day of the New King of England, Charles III. As a school boy in Scotland, Charles himself played Macbeth on the Stage. In so many ways then, Verdi’s Macbeth is a fitting choice for this new production.
Macbeth tells the haunting story of a Scottish general whose ambition and thirst for power lead him to commit terrible crimes. After receiving a prophecy from three witches that he will become King of Scotland, Macbeth becomes consumed by ambition. Driven by his manipulative wife, Lady Macbeth, he embarks on a murderous spree to secure the throne. As the tragic hero’s guilt grows, he descends into madness, resulting in a series of catastrophic events that ultimately lead to his downfall.
William Shakespeare’s Macbeth stands as a monumental work in English literature, showcasing the Bard’s unrivaled understanding of the human psyche, ambition, power, and fate. As one of the most profound tragedies ever penned, Macbeth has transcended time and inspired countless adaptations across various art forms. Among these adaptations, Giuseppe Verdi’s operatic masterpiece pays homage to Shakespeare’s genius and demonstrates the enduring allure of Macbeth’s gripping tale, captivating audiences through the powerful synergy of music and drama.
What’s Done Cannot be Done Undone
Sfar hon puoi La cosa Fatta
Verdi regarded Shakespeare’s tragedy “Macbeth” as one of the greatest compositions of the human spirit and his own opera version was his favourite, the work “Which I love in preference to my other operas.”
Shakespeare’s play dates from troubled times, written just after the Gunpower plot, when Guy Fawkes’ attempt at blowing up the Houses of Parliament in London, was narrowly denied success in 1605. For 400 years, this tragedy of couple who win and lose a throne of blood through their evil ambition has caught the imagination as one of Shakespeare’s most memorable works.
Topical issues concerned Verdi too: the Risorgimento or Reunion of Italy into one Country from divided states in particular, as in the Patria Oppressa Chorus. Altogether, Verdi himself took huge trouble with his opera, heavily re-writing the original 1847 version into the revised piece first performed in Paris in French in 1865. He centred on the heavy, dark operatic possibilities of Lady Macbeth, – in a vocally hugely challenging role – changed the three witches to a chorus, while saving wonderful Arias for Macduff and Banquo, as well as of course, for Macbeth. The
menacing and evil partnership of the Macbeths finds unforgettable expression in the Opera’s passionate and compelling music. In the Production on stage here the 1865 Ballet is retained and the 1847 final scene restored. The tale of a talented couple, driven by success to power that lifts them to an exalted position, only to crash and burn dramatically (has many modern resonances.) “Macbeth” is both of the moments and timeless.
Verdi’s Macbeth, a groundbreaking adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy, marked a significant development in Italian opera and his career. Since its 1847 premiere in Florence, the opera has captivated audiences worldwide with its emotional intensity, musical brilliance, and psychological depth.
Performed by prestigious opera companies and celebrated artists, Macbeth has remained a cornerstone of the operatic repertoire. Its universal themes and powerful music continue to resonate with audiences, solidifying its status as an enduring operatic masterpiece.