“an imaginative and viscerally shocking staging of Schubert songs … the theatrical ingenuity and visceral force was so strong that the audience let out an audible gasp of shock.”
—The New York Times, Critic’s Pick
“a remarkable theatrical coup … [Kaufmann’s] burnished tenor remains potent, unleashing powerful torrents of sound.”
—The Financial Times
Composed in 1828 in Franz Schubert‘s final days, Schwanengesang (Swan Song) traverses a myriad of emotions, from despair and delusion to ecstasy and love, to form a series of masterful snapshots of all that life can offer. Sitting at the pinnacle of a vocalist’s repertory, these emotive works are given a thrilling new life in the world premiere of a theatrical staging by one of opera’s most adventurous directors, Claus Guth.
Performed by world-renowned tenor Jonas Kaufmann with his long-time collaborator pianist Helmut Deutsch, the heart-melting collection of songs is amplified by additional Schubert repertory, an evocative soundscape, and transformative light and video projections to create a production that is part performance and part installation art. Named for the last song “Der Doppelgänger,” in which a soldier sees themselves and comes to terms with the reality that they did not return from war, this Armory commission beautifully explores the hunger for life and its beauty and the idea that death is not a sudden moment but a last journey.
Related Event
Artist Talk: Doppelganger
Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 6:00pm
Tickets: $20 (plus fees)
Director Claus Guth is joined by pianist Helmut Deutsch to discuss the creation of this new production and incorporating new sonic compositions with Schubert’s enduring scores to form a new musical tapestry, moderated by author and opera director Ian Strasfogel.
World Premiere
A Park Avenue Armory Commission
Tenor Jonas Kaufmann
Pianist Helmut Deutsch
Direction Claus Guth
Original Music and Sound Composition Mathis Nitschke
Set Design Michael Levine
Costume Design Constance Hoffman
Lighting Design Urs Schöenebaum
Sound Design Mark Grey
Video Design rocafilm
Movement Direction Sommer Ulrickson
Production support for Doppelganger is provided by the Arthur F. & Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation and The Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany New York.
Public support is provided by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature as well as the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
Image: © DBOX
September 22–28, 2023
Friday, September 22–
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Tickets start at $45 (plus fees)
Tuesday–Thursday at 7:30pm
Friday at 8:00pm
Saturday at 7:00pm
To view a full schedule of performances, click here.
Wade Thompson Drill Hall
View the seating chart.
This performance is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes with no intermission and is sung in German with English supertitles.
Health and Safety Protocols
Masks are optional. To view additional COVID-19 Policies, please visit our FAQs page.
Image Gallery
Photos: Monika Rittershaus
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