In
Claus Guth's production, the ice princess from the Chinese legend does not wear traditional costumes. There are no lanterns or other stylizations of oriental exoticism, no fairy tale at all, but there is drama, the roots of which extend far beyond the boundaries of stage history; there are fears and complexes, hatred, despair – and love, so diverse in its manifestations: sacrificial, selfish, all-forgiving.
And, of course, the undeniable merit of this performance lies in its magnificent cast: Asmik Grigorian, trying on the role of the cruel princess for the first time; Jonas Kaufmann, for whom Calaf was also practically a new experience; and Christina Mkhitaryan in the role of Liù, a slave whose love saved Calaf and gave him a chance at happiness. On the conductor's podium is Maestro Marco Armiliato.