SWEENEY TODD Makes Opernhaus Zurich Premiere

By: Nov. 14, 2018
Enter Your Email to Unlock This Article

Plus, get the best of BroadwayWorld delivered to your inbox, and unlimited access to our editorial content across the globe.




Existing user? Just click login.

SWEENEY TODD Makes Opernhaus Zurich Premiere

After nearly 30 years, there will be a musical on the stage of the Opernhaus Zürich once again. On December 9, the curtain will rise on Stephen Sondheim's musical thriller Sweeney Todd, in a production by the Opernhaus Zürich. Andreas Homoki stage directs this story of a serial-killer barber, which was also recently made into a film by Tim Burton, starring Johnny Depp. Welsh baritone Bryn Terfel plays Sweeney Todd - an ideal Todd if there ever was one. The role is murderously difficult and demands an outstanding performer with the darkest of vocal timbres. Terfel has already thrilled audiences as Todd at the English National Opera and at the Lyric Opera Chicago. His partner in crime is Austrian mezzosoprano Angelika Kirchschlager, making her debut as the dutiful purveyor of meat pies. At the podium of the Philharmonia Zürich is David Charles Abbell, a veteran musical theater conductor.

Benjamin Barker (Bryn Terfel) is a barber in Victorian London. He leads a peaceful life with his beautiful wife, Lucy, and his daughter, Johanna. The corrupt Judge Turpin (Brindley Sherratt) is drawn to Lucy's beauty, and transports an innocent Benjamin Barker to an Australian penal colony. Turpin violates Lucy, who in turn kills herself. Turpin takes Johanna (Mélissa Petit) as his ward. After 15 years in exile, Benjamin returns - using the name Sweeney Todd as an alias - in order to exact revenge on Judge Turpin. He opens a barbershop, meets the widow Mrs. Lovett (Angelika Kirchschlager) - who owns the meat pie shop next door and is soon hopelessly devoted to him - and unsuccessfully tries to kill Judge Turpin. His failure to do so spurs him to take revenge on all of mankind, and he decides to kill as many people as he can. Mrs. Lovett, meanwhile, takes on the dubious task of turning the cadavers into meat pies. Her new recipe delivers her business success like never before, as she sells her wares to a hungry, clueless clientele.

For more information visit https://www.opernhaus.ch/spielplan/kalendarium/sweeney-todd/season_50348/.

 


Join Team BroadwayWorld

Are you an avid theatergoer? We're looking for people like you to share your thoughts and insights with our readers. Team BroadwayWorld members get access to shows to review, conduct interviews with artists, and the opportunity to meet and network with fellow theatre lovers and arts workers.

Interested? Learn more here.




Videos