Candide (Concert version) Tickets

Semperoper Dresden, Dresden, Germany

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Available Dates: 11 - 18 May, 2025 (3 events)

Important Info

Type: Operetta

City: Dresden, Germany

Acts: 2

Sung in: English

Titles in: German,English

Ticket delivery: E-Tickets

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

Can I choose my seats?

You can only select the category, and not the exact seats.
If you order 2 or 3 tickets: your seats will be next to each other.
If you order 4 or more tickets: your seats will be next to each other, or, if this is not possible, we will provide a combination of groups of seats (at least in pairs, for example 2+2 or 2+3).

Cast

Performers

Choose the date to see the peformers

Creators

Composer: Leonard Bernstein

Lyricist: Dorothy Parker

Librettist: Hugh Wheeler

Lyricist: John Latouche

Lyricist: Leonard Bernstein

Librettist: Lillian Hellman

Lyricist: Lillian Hellman

Lyricist: Richard Wilbur

Lyricist: Stephen Sondheim

Writer: Voltaire

Overview

Based on Voltaire’s satire „Candide ou l’optimisme“, Leonard Bernstein created a masterpiece of modern operetta about the madness of the world. In a witty and lively mixture of opera, musical and revue, he not only parodies traditional dance forms such as the gavotte, mazurka, polka and waltz, but also slyly sprinkles the score with the operatic quotations.

Where is it, this „best of all possible worlds”? Candide, who grows up with the Baron’s offspring in tranquil Westphalia, is cast out of the castle because of his love for Cunegonde. An adventure-filled journey begins for the naive young man, which takes him around the globe from one absurd catastrophe to the next.

Another highlight of this concert version are the sparkling and humorous interludes by Loriot, spoken by Jan Josef Liefers, well known as the opera-loving coroner from the German detective series Tatort, who is returning to his hometown for this production. A wonderfully amusing and absurd evening, brilliantly orchestrated and bursting with humour and sophistication!

Lyrics by Richard Wilbur. With additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John LaTouche, Dorothy Parker, Lillian Hellman and Leonard Bernstein. Narrative text by Loriot, adapted from the satire by Voltaire and the book by Hugh Wheeler. Orchestrations by Leonard Bernstein and Hershy Kay. Musical continuity and additional orchestrations by John Mauceri.

History

Premiere of this production: 01 December 1956, Martin Beck Theatre, Broadway

Candide is an operetta with music composed by Leonard Bernstein, based on the 1759 novella of the same name by Voltaire. The operetta was first performed in 1956 with a libretto by Lillian Hellman; but since 1974 it has been generally performed with a book by Hugh Wheeler which is more faithful to Voltaire's novel. The primary lyricist was the poet Richard Wilbur. Other contributors to the text were John Latouche, Dorothy Parker, Lillian Hellman, Stephen Sondheim, John Mauceri, John Wells, and Bernstein himself. Maurice Peress and Hershy Kay contributed orchestrations. Although unsuccessful at its premiere, Candide has now overcome the unenthusiastic reaction of early audiences and critics and achieved enormous popularity. It is very popular among major music schools as a student show because of the quality of its music and the opportunities it offers to student singers.

Venue Info

Semperoper Dresden - Dresden
Theaterplatz 2

Not only one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world, the Semperoper is renowned both in Germany and abroad for the brilliant star-studded performances by Saxon State Opera as well as numerous international guest artists.

This is the home of the Staatskapelle Dresden, an orchestra which looks back on 460 years of uninterrupted music-making. The State Opera Chorus was founded by Carl Maria von Weber in 1817. Operatic history has been written here, with the Semperoper playing host to numerous important premieres, such as Richard Wagner’s "Rienzi", "Der fliegende Holländer" and "Tannhäuser". There is also an indissoluble link to Richard Strauss, nine of whose 15 operas were premiered in Dresden, including "Salome", "Der Rosenkavalier" and "Elektra". The small venue Semper Zwei provides space for diverse forms of music theatre as well as theatrical experiments, and is also the venue for performances of Semperoper Junge Szene.

The magnificent Semperoper dominates the Theaterplatz be-side the river Elbe, forming the centrepiece of the historic old city. The original building opened its doors in 1841, constructed to a design by Gottfried Semper which combined a late Classical style with Renaissance elements. Following a devastating fire in 1869, the citizens of Dresden immediately set about rebuilding their beloved opera house. This was completed in 1878, also to a design by Semper. In 1945, during the final months of World War II, the Semperoper was once again razed to the ground.

After a second reconstruction was successfully completed in 1985, the reopening of one of Europe’s most beautiful opera houses was celebrated with a performance of Carl Maria von Weber’s "Freischütz".
The dazzling interiors were painstakingly reconstructed by local craftsmen and artists according to original plans, with state-of-the art stage machinery and technical fittings in the auditorium. A modern annex was added to house the administrative offices and rehearsal rooms. Internationally renowned for its brilliant acoustics and incomparable performances, audiences from around the world continue to flock here to enjoy unforgettable experiences at the Semperoper Dresden.