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A captivating opera with unexpected twists and a production that does justice to an exceptional score.
"—Who taught you all this, Doctor?
The answer was instantaneous: —Suffering."
Albert Camus: The Plague
La Gioconda by Amilcare Ponchielli, with a libretto by Arrigo Boito, is the only Italian opera, along with Boito's Mefistofele, not written by Verdi that remains in the repertoire of works created during the period between the premiere of Donizetti's Don Pasquale (1843) and the rise of the “Giovane Scuola,” represented by Puccini and the verists.
The opera combines the best of the styles of its time: strongly Verdian influences in the melodies, choral passages typical of Venetian folk music, soliloquies with touches of Mussorgsky or Tchaikovsky, Wagnerian orchestration, dances and ballets characteristic of French Grand Opéra, and a finale that anticipates the verist-naturalist repertoire. Together, these elements make it a truly compelling masterpiece.
This magnificent opera, long cherished by audiences, offers a showcase for six extraordinary singers to shine. For these performances, the Liceu has brought together some of today’s most beloved opera stars: Saioa Hernández and Ekaterina Semenchuk, debuting in the role and alternating with Saioa, will captivate us with the intensity of “Suicidio” and the renowned filato and messa di voce phrase “Enzo adorato. Ah! Come t’amo!”, among many other highlights. The role of the impassioned Enzo Grimaldo, originally performed by the legendary Julián Gayarre, also presents high technical and musical demands. In the voices of Michael Fabiano and Martin Muehle, we’ll hear the exquisite “Cielo e mar.”
On the other hand, Laura Adorno requires a remarkable vocal range, encompassing both high and low registers. “L’amor come il fulgor del creato,” or the duet with Alvise in the third act—here embodied by the voices of John Relyea and Alexander Köpeczi—will demand the magic and stage presence of Ksenia Dudnikova and Varduhi Abrahamyan. To complete the main quartet, Gabriele Viviani and Àngel Òdena will alternate in the role of Barnaba, one of the most villainous characters in all operatic literature, with his celebrated monologue “O monumento”.
Conductor Daniel Oren will bring a performance marked by experience and musical precision, with clarity of sound and a remarkable sense of dramatic tension and theatrical strength. Among the choral and orchestral highlights is the famous “Dance of the Hours.”
Stage director Romain Gilbert embraces the impossibility of detaching La Gioconda from Venice. He places the action in a mysterious and gloomy capital of La Serenissima, where the black-and-white canals evoke both the festive and sinister sides of the city. This new co-production by the Gran Teatre del Liceu and Teatro San Carlo in Naples is further enriched by Etienne Pluss’s scenography and the colorful costumes designed by Christian Lacroix.
An impressive opera full of unexpected twists, where the nobility of the singing, the outstanding performers, and the production do justice to this extraordinary score.
Drama in four acts.
Libretto by Tobia Gorrio (pseudonym of Arrigo Boito) based on the play Angélo, tyran de Padoue by Victor Hugo.
- World premiere: 08/04/1876 at Teatro alla Scala in Milan
- Barcelona premiere: 26/02/1883 at the Gran Teatre del Liceu
- Last performance at the Liceu: 15/04/2019
- Total performances at the Liceu: 154
With the support of:
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Dates and tickets
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Special sessions
February 20: Breathing Opera – Mindfulness session
8 March: Digital premiere on the LiceuOPERA+ platform
March 1: Live audio description service
Are you between 18 and 35 years old?
Join the LiceUnder35 Community and come see La Gioconda for only €20.
- Act One 55 min
- Act Two 40 min
- Pause 30 min
- Act Three 40 minutes
- Quick change 2 min 30 sec
- Act Four 35 min
Artistic profile
- Stage Direction
- Romain Gilbert
- Scenography
- Etienne Pluss
- Costumes
- Christian Lacroix
- Lighting
- Valerio Tiberi
- Choreographer
- Vincent Chaillet
- Assistant Stage Directors
- Angélica Dettori and Luis Tausía
- Costume Assistant
- Jean Philippe Pons
- Choreographer’s Assistant
- Alexandra Basmagy
- Assistant Conductor
- Rodrigo de Vera
- Musical Assistant Coaches
- Véronique Werklé, Daniela Pellegrino, David-Huy Nguyen-Phong and Jaume Tribó
- Choir of the Gran Teatre del Liceu
- Director Pablo Assante
- Children’s Choir of the Orfeó Català
- Conductor Glòria Coma i Pedrals
- Symphony Orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu
- Director Daniel Oren
- Co-production Gran Teatre del Liceu and Teatro di San Carlo in Naples
Cast
Cast changes
- Bass Alexander Köpezci will sing the role of Alvise in the February 26 performance of La Gioconda, due to changes in John Relyea’s professional schedule.
Get ready for 'La Gioconda'
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La Gioconda
Monday, February 16 at 7:30 PM
Opera + DJ + Food Stands
Are you between 18 and 35 years old? Join the LiceUnder 35 Community
Special sessions
Breathing the Opera
Breathing the Opera is a 30-minute guided session led by coach Mònica Arús, with a soundscape by music therapist Núria Andorrà, where we will practise simple breathing, relaxation and mindfulness exercises to enter a state of calm and openness that will help us enjoy the performance with presence and awareness.
Friday, February 20
6:30 pm
Buy the full experience here: mindfulness session + opera performance.
LiceuOPERA+
LiceuOPERA+ subscribers will be able to enjoy the live broadcast of La Gioconda by Amilcare Ponchielli from the Liceu, with stage direction by Romain Gilbert and conducted by maestro Daniel Oren.
Once edited, it will be available on demand for subscribers.
Sunday, 8 March: Digital premiere
Audiodescription
Live audio description is available for one performance of each staged opera, narrating key visual elements for the benefit of blind and visually impaired audience members.
The service includes two parts: an audio introduction fifteen minutes before the start of the performance, and simultaneous audio description during the show.
LiveVoice App
To listen to the audio description, simply click on "Audiodescripció al Liceu" or open the LiveVoice app and enter the code: 075177.
Sunday, March 1
5:00 pm
Més informació
On Monday, February 23, at 7:30 pm, Catalunya Música will broadcast live the opera La Gioconda by Amilcare Ponchielli from the Gran Teatre del Liceu, as part of the programme Directe a l’òpera, hosted by Xavier Montagut and Marc Ruiz.
On Sunday, March 1, at 5:00 p.m. (CET), Radio Clásica will broadcast live La Gioconda, an opera in four acts by Amilcare Ponchielli, from the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, presented by Pep Gorgori.