Literaturfest: »OF ONE BLOOD« LOTTE BETTS-DEAN, PIA HÄNDLER, LISA SIEGLER, MITGLIEDER DES BAYERISCHEN STAATSORCHESTERS

In the organizer's words:

One of the Bavarian State Opera's most beautiful formats as a guest at the Literature Festival: "Stelldichein!" The prelude to the world premiere of the opera "Of One Blood". Theme: freedom of choice.

They were arch-rivals: Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth Tudor, Queen of England. And they were cousins, "of one blood". How free was Elizabeth in her decision to have Mary executed? What human sides are hidden behind the façade of monarchical representation? Australian composer Brett Dean and his librettist Heather Betts explore these questions in their opera "Of One Blood", which will be premiered at the Bavarian State Opera in May.

At the Literaturhaus, the queens themselves have their say: Pia Händler and Lisa Stiegler embody the two women in the latest production of Friedrich Schiller's "Maria Stuart" at the Residenztheater. The fictional confrontation scene from this influential German drama is complemented by texts by Elfriede Jelinek and Stefan Zweig. The readings are intertwined with a musical program performed by mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean and members of the Bavarian State Orchestra: Compositions by Brett Dean on texts from the historical Mary Stuart provide a foretaste of the grand opera at the National Theater.