He left an indelible mark on the world of opera with his remarkable productions, which have been performed across the global opera stage. The Met Opera in New York fondly remembers his grand Wagner productions, just as the Wiener Staatsoper continues to preserve his legacy.

This season, in addition to the recordings made freely available on the Austrian opera’s website, audiences can experience his stagings of Fidelio by Beethoven in February 2025 (featuring Michael Spyres and Bryn Terfel), L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti in March (with Nadine Sierra and Xabier Anduaga), Andrea Chénier by Giordano in April (starring Michael Fabiano, Sonya Yoncheva, and Luca Salsi), and finally, arguably his greatest masterpiece, Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss in June (with Lise Davidsen, Emily D’Angelo, and Sabine Devieilhe). Another iconic production, J. Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus, has returned annually every December since 1979.

To see Otto Schenk’s productions at the Wierner Staatsoper, click here!

Der Rosenkavalier – c – Wiener Staatsoper / Michael Poehn

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Discover Sonya Yoncheva at the Philharmonie de Paris

© Victor Santiago

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On the ballet side, it’s a true celebration with a repertoire festival. Masterpieces of the white ballet such as Tchaikovsky‘s The Sleeping Beauty by Rudolf Nureyev or Pierre Lacotte’s Paquita are mostly at the Opéra Bastille, but the Palais Garnier also includes great classical dance masterpieces in its 2024-2025 ballet season. Classical dance returns with strength in the programming with works like Onegin, the masterpiece of the great choreographer John Cranko. Aficionados will also not want to miss Sylvia, and should book their tickets early! Set to the music of the highly esteemed Léo Delibes, Sylvia is the very first ballet created at the Palais Garnier, which will be presented in the version by Manuel Legris, a famous Étoile dancer of the Paris National Opera and now the renowned director of the La Scala Ballet in Milan. This addition to the repertoire is an event. Other shows that quickly sell out include the season‘s Gala with the Ballet parade, as well as the Demonstrations and the Dance School Show, which are doubled by two exceptional performances. The first unites Maurice Béjart, August Bournonville, and Antony Tudor, while the second features the prestigious names of choreographers William Forsythe and Johan Inger. Throughout the rich 2024-2025 season, dance and ballet enthusiasts will flock to evenings where the new generation meets more established choreographers. Mats Ek’s brilliant Appartement is paired with Sharon Eyal’s OCD Love. All ballet lovers await the creation of the brilliant Hofesh Shechter, and those who have not yet seen it will benefit from the revival to buy their tickets to see the delightful Play by Alexander Ekman, a must-see. Speaking of essentials, Mayerling, the absolute classic masterpiece by choreographer Kenneth MacMillan, will undoubtedly bring a few tears, especially when performed by the Paris National Opera Ballet, one of the most prestigious companies in the world.

Also noteworthy, the chamber music concerts offered by members of the Paris National Opera Orchestra always enjoy great success. Recitals make a notable return to the Palais Garnier.

Music lovers who are fond of great voices will book their seats in advance to not miss the recitals of Benjamin Bernheim, the greatest French tenor of his generation, or the sublime Elina Garanca in French and international melodies. Two great stars are making their return to Garnier, Natalie Dessay and Renée Fleming, an event! Among the new opera productions at the Palais Garnier, there will be laughter with the comic opera that opens the season. Offenbach‘s The Brigands is directed by Barrie Kosky, who has brightened the nights of the Komische Oper in Berlin with his whimsy. The superb cast motivates reservations. What promises to be the season’s great success is almost sold out for the fall of 2024 but will fortunately be revived at the end of the season. One of the most anticipated opera performances at the Palais Garnier for the 2024-2025 season is Rameau’s Castor and Pollux, bringing together a perfect cast with Reinoud Van Mechelen, Marc Mauillon, Jeanine De Bique, and Stéphanie d’Oustrac under the expert direction of the brilliant Teodor Currentzis. This superb baroque opera is eagerly awaited by all specialists. Another anticipated production is the revival of Stravinsky‘s The Rake’s Progress, a chance to rediscover the incredible world of Olivier Py, who delivers a great spectacle here. The story of the Faust myth revisited is embodied by young and very great voices to discover urgently (Golda Schultz and Ben Bliss).

The last events of the 2024-2025 season at the Palais Garnier are exceptional concerts. A concert of the Rolex Ambassadors brings together Sonya Yoncheva, Juan Diego Flórez, Bryn Terfel, Rolando Villazón, Yuja Wang, and the musicians of the Vienna Philharmonic, while the 150th anniversary of the Palais Garnier will be celebrated with a gala featuring Lisette Oropesa and Ludovic Tézier. One must rush to get available tickets as the event is significant!

Get your tickets now for the new 2024-2025 season at the Palais Garnier

© Opéra national de Paris website

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Book your tickets to see Sonya Yoncheva in concert HERE. 

Photographie : Sonya Yoncheva © Kristian Schuller – Sony Music Entertainment

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