George Enescu

He kills his father, marries his mother and never suspects what he is doing: the disastrous life of Oedipus, who becomes ever more deeply entangled in his fate, has moved people since antiquity. In 1909, the composer George Enescu attended a performance of the Greek poet Sophocles' tragedy King Oedipus at the Comédie-Française and was deeply moved. His adaptation of the material in the form of the monumental choral opera Œdipe is now regarded as Enescu's masterpiece. Combining French Impressionism with Romanian folk music, the composition's colourful sounds, powerful rhythms and song-like melodies are captivating.

Œdipe will be premiered at the Festspielhaus on 16 July 2025. The Bregenz production is directed by the internationally renowned director Andreas Kriegenburg, who, together with the set designer Harald B. Thor and the costume designer Tanja Hofmann, dedicates an element to each of the four independently narrated acts: fire, water, air and earth, combined with archaic materials such as wood, clay and simple fabrics, but also bare skin. The Finnish star conductor Hannu Lintu is responsible for the musical direction. The Danish baritone Johan Reuter is a guest in Bregenz in the role of Œdipe. 

For tickets and further information on Œdipe, including performance times and other details, please click here.