Nestroy Spiele Schwechat [ENA] In the 54th edition of the Nestroy Spiele Schwechat, Johann Nestroy’s late play Mein Freund emerges as a surprisingly dark summer entertainment: a “Posse” that smiles as it lifts the mask from betrayal, cowardice and self deception. Directed by Christian Graf in the courtyard of Schloss Rothmühle, the production embraces both sides of the piece—its sharp comic surface and its underlying melancholy.   [Full story...]

Wiener Staatsoper [ENA] Il trittico at the Wiener Staatsoper offers one of Puccini’s most fascinating theatrical inventions: three one-act operas that seem at first glance radically different, yet together form a powerful meditation on grief, longing, greed, and redemption. What makes the evening so compelling is precisely this instability of tone. Puccini moves from the dark, enclosed world of Il tabarro to the spiritual intensity of Suor.   [Full story...]