19.01.2025

DAVID STEFFENS | "Der Rosenkavalier" at the Berlin State Opera

David Steffens is certainly one of the most interesting German basses of the younger generation. As a member of the ensemble at the Staatstheater Stuttgart, he has been able to develop a remarkable range of different roles in recent years and is slowly but surely becoming a permanent fixture, not only in Stuttgart, especially in the ‘German’ repertoire. Between his recent role debut as Jochanaan in Strauss‘ Salome and his upcoming role debut as Gurnemanz in Wagner's Parsifal, David Steffens is now returning to the Staatsoper Berlin for five evenings, where - following his house debut in April 2023 - he can once again be seen as Ochs auf Lerchenau in Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier. As one of the most extensive roles in the entire opera literature for basses, the role is not only a real challenge due to its length - vocal versatility and distinctive acting skills are just as important as the idiomatic savouring of dialectal nuances, which should not be difficult for the bass, who comes from Bad Reichenhall in Bavaria.

Cast

Diana Damrau, Field Marshal Princess Werdenberg
David Steffens, Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau
Emily D'Angelo, Octavian
Roman Trekel, Lord of Faninal
Regula Mühlemann, Sophie
Adriane Queiroz, Maid Marianne Leitmetzerin
Karl-Michael Ebner, Valzacchi
Anna Kissjudit, Annina
Friedrich Hamel, a police inspector
Florian Hoffmann, steward to the Marschallin
Johan Krogius, steward to Faninal
Carles Pachon, a notary
Johan Krogius, an innkeeper
Andrés Moreno García, a singer
Clara Nadeshdin, a modiste

Axel Kober, musical direction
André Heller, staging
Katharina Lang, scenic rehearsal, stage management
Xenia Hausner, stage
Arthur Arbesser, costumes
Olaf Freese, lighting
Günter Jackle | Philip Hillers, Video

State Opera Chorus
Children's choir of the Staatsoper
Staatskapelle Berlin