15.11.2024

WERNER GÜRA sings "Das Paradies und die Peri" at the Theater an der Wien

What do we have to do to reach paradise?

Robert Schumann's work Paradise and the Peri , based on a fairy tale by Thomas Moore, is dedicated to this question, blending Orientalism and Romantic ideas of redemption. As the daughter of a fallen angel and a mortal, Peri, a fairy from Persian mythology, is initially denied access to paradise. She has to realise that neither heroism nor self-sacrificing love are enough to gain entry; only compassion opens the gates of paradise for her.

Werner Güra will take on the role of narrator, who sits at the helm of the plot, on 15 November 2024 in the concert performance of this fascinating, lyrical and dramatic work at the Theater an der Wien.

As an experienced lieder singer and evangelist in Bach's Passions, Güra knows how to create a unity of text and melody with his clear voice and articulation, without exaggerated pathos, but through subtle nuances and natural lightness.

These skills come to the forefront on 15 November 2024, contributing to what is expected to be a special and moving concert evening. 
 

Cast

Elsa Dreisig, soprano I (Peri)
Sarah Defrise, soprano II
Sophie Rennert, mezzo-soprano
Werner Güra, Tenor I
Cameron Becker, Tenor II
Daniel Schmutzhard, baritone
Levente Páll, bass

Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
Arnold Schoenberg Choir
Giedrė Šlekytė, musical direction