When does the performance take place?

The performance begins on April 25, 2026, at 19:00 in the Große Haus of the Musiktheater im Revier.

How long does the opera evening last?

According to the schedule, the performance lasts until 21:45. This results in a total duration of about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Is there an introduction before the performance?

Yes, MiR offers an introduction 30 minutes before the performance begins.

What age is the piece recommended for?

The age recommendation is from 16 years.

In which languages will it be sung?

The operas will be performed in Russian and Italian and accompanied by surtitles.

What is the ticket price?

The published entry price is 16 Euros per ticket.

Hellfire and Inheritance-Cheating Delight: MiR Shows an Evening Full of Passion

Name: Francesca da Rimini - Gianni Schicchi
Start: 2026-04-25T21:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-04-25T23:45:00+02:00
Location: Großes Haus

An opera double bill between hellfire and bitter comedy

On April 25, 2026, the Musiktheater im Revier transforms the Große Haus into a stage of extremes: Sergei Rachmaninoff's rarely performed operatic trio Francesca da Rimini meets Giacomo Puccini's sparklingly comic inheritance-hunter comedy Gianni Schicchi. An evening like a dramatic free-fall through Dante's Inferno, where passion, deception, violence, and liberation clash in compelling operatic art.

When hell sings, it does so with full voice

Rachmaninoff's Francesca da Rimini unfolds a dark sonic theater of overwhelming force based on themes from The Divine Comedy. Thunderous orchestral colors, lamenting souls, and longing melodies create a stage experience that not only tells the tragedy of the title character but makes it atmospherically palpable. The music urges, glows, and pulls the audience into a world where jealousy ends in death.

Puccini's raging comedy as a sharp counterpoint

Gianni Schicchi then sets the counterpoint with buoyant lightness and dark humor. Puccini's one-act opera thrives on tempo, precise character portrayal, and musical punctuation that makes every gesture on stage sparkle. At its center is a family clan greedily vying for an inheritance, while Lauretta sings one of the most famous moments in opera with O mio babbino caro. It is precisely this mix of irony, humanity, and virtuosity that adds to the charm of the evening.

Production with social relevance

The MiR production directed by Manuel Schmitt not only considers the operatic material as a source of artistic enjoyment but also as a question of contemporary relevance. According to theater information, a discussion on violence against women and femicide will take place on April 25, 2026, following the performance. This gives Francesca da Rimini a contemporary sharpness that goes far beyond historical tragedy. The interplay of set design, costumes, lighting, and musical direction promises a focused operatic evening with a clear stance.

Venue, atmosphere, and visitor experience

In the Große Haus of the Musiktheater im Revier, a traditional operatic architecture meets a pair of works that thrive on grandeur. The introduction 30 minutes before the start of the performance provides a welcome dramatic entry, while the surtitles facilitate access to the Russian and Italian original languages. The performance is aimed at an audience aged 16 and over who wishes to not only hear opera but experience it as an intense theatrical event.

Conclusion

Francesca da Rimini - Gianni Schicchi promises an evening of opera full of contrasts: shocking, witty, sound-powerful, and scenically precise. Those seeking great stage art, strong voices, and an evening with emotional impact should mark this date at the MiR and be there live.