In September and October, Theater Regensburg presents two works by John Corigliano – his landmark opera The Ghosts of Versailles and STOMP (for orchestra) – with Philharmonisches Orchester Regensburg and chief conductor Stefan Veselka.
From September 27 to January 30, 2026, The Ghosts of Versailles, a contemporary opera buffa described as a “most American treatment of the Old World” (Classical Voice North America), will have 12 performances, as well as a matinee and public rehearsal before the premiere. The orchestra performs with the theatre’s opera choir and dance company, Sebastian Ritschel directs and Gabriel Pitoni is responsible for the choreography.
With a libretto by William M. Hoffman, the work reflects on how change is effected in politics and art. The piece centers on an opera-in-an-opera concocted by the ghost of the playwright Beaumarchais, who has fallen madly in love with the ghost of Marie Antoinette, still haunted by her execution. To lift her up so that she can entertain his affections, he stages the opera 'A Figaro for Antonia', where characters from the court of Louis XVI meet characters from “The Marriage of Figaro”.
…comic and serious, entertaining and erudite, silly and thoughtful, emotional and mysterious, harrowing and uplifting, intimate and over-the-top…
Richard S. Ginell, Los Angeles Times
On October 9, the European premiere of STOMP (for orchestra) takes place. Originally written as an unaccompanied violin work, Corigliano later adapted it for orchestra. He asked himself: “How was I to take a mostly single line instrument like a violin and fill it out so a whole orchestra could play it?” The orchestral work expands on harmonies and by spacing out the chords the solo violin would play, adding material and texture to the initial music. One thing that he did not change was the tapping and stomping of the musicians, the audience “will hear sections of the orchestra, and finally the full orchestra stomping away.”
For more information, please see the website of Theater Regensburg – Home.
