The evening of Saturday the 8th of February 2025 was a quiet Saturday evening in my life. I had done my daily chores, had done my share of socialising for lunch, and had spent a bit of time studying. My only worry was to be warm enough under my bed sheets to read my book the most comfortably I could.
That is when I received a call. One of my friends had a spare ticket for an opera, which I knew nothing about and had never heard of, here in Maastricht, starting in an hour. I thought for a moment, debated whether this would be worth leaving the comfort of my home for, and then told myself this, as unexpected as it was, would, best case scenario, be a very good surprise, worst case scenario, turn into something my friend and I could have a good laugh about. So I told her I’d be there, 7:15 PM in front of the Theater aan het Vrijthof.
I quickly looked up online what it could be, and I saw on the Theater’s website the title: Ariadne Auf Naxos, the composer, Richard Strauss, the scenarist, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, and the company, the Nederlandse Reisopera. The first representation of the opera was on the 4th of October 1916. The premiere of this modern rendering was on the 25th of January 2025. I had only ever been to ballets and theatre and never to a sung opera before. So I entered the place I only expected to enter when the time for graduation came, eager to know what awaited us. The lights dimmed, and the opera started. It was in German. Fortunately, subtitles, both in Dutch and English were provided. I was quickly caught by the vibrant voices I heard and picked up the story as I went. And I could not have been more pleasantly surprised.
The first act introduced a delightful chaos. The tale is about one of Vienna’s richest men, who wants to show two different works to his guests: on the one hand a theatre-like comedy, on the other hand, Ariadne auf Naxos, a serious and prestigious Greek opera. Just a few hours before the representation, he decides that both the actors and the singers need to have their performances at the same time. There begins an effort to make both worlds collide. As a spectator, you are led to ask yourself if that is even possible, and in case it is, how exactly that can happen. Looking at the backstage of an artistic production unfolding in front of our eyes was interesting, gripping, and very funny. Not only me but the whole audience burst out laughing on multiple occasions at the absurdity of the situation, the character’s behaviours, or the intentional jokes that were left for us to enjoy.
After a half-hour intermission, the second act started. This was the most surprising in this whole representation, consisting of the performance of the opera-comedy that the rich Viennese man had planned. This works as an ‘opera in an opera’. The setting did not change from the first act, though, so we could still see the ‘backstage’ interactions of the comedians and the singers, the duality between reality and fiction bringing a bit of frenzy, realism, and depth to the show. And on my side, this was my favourite aspect. But also the contrast between the grandeur of the opera, more serious, a bit uptight and very prestigious, and the lively, engaging, and somewhat disruptive elements of the comedians created a fascinating dynamic. Beyond being a pleasure for the ears, the representation was also very aesthetically pleasing. We could not get enough of this smart mix.
The production seamlessly blended humour and storytelling with deeper philosophical questions about the nature of art itself. It sparked questions about the difference between ‘high’ and ‘low’ art. The actors portrayed that duality perfectly, and with humour, bringing a refreshing modernity to an older piece. And as Sofia Jupither, the director, says, ‘if you are good at what you do, it does not matter if you are an opera singer or a comedy actor’.
By the time the final notes rang through the theater, I was impressed. Ariadne Auf Naxos, in this vibrant and compelling production, introduced me to the world of opera in the most remarkable way possible. As I stepped out of the Theater aan het Vrijthof, I realised that what began as a spontaneous outing had transformed into an experience to remember, and I also realised how many more secrets Maastricht has to unveil, even after three years.
Would I go to another opera again? Without hesitation.
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