Les Arts will explore five centuries of opera, from Monteverdi to the 21st century, in its upcoming season.

2022-2023 Season 

• Five new productions and eight previously unreleased titles will premiere in the theater's repertoire, with James Gaffigan, Gustavo Gimeno, Riccardo Minasi, Michele Spotti, Marc Minkowski and Maurizio Benini in the pit.

• Cecilia Bartoli, Angela Meade, Ricarda Merberth, Magdalena Kožená and Corinne Winters make their debuts, while Juan Diego Flórez, Stephen Gould, Piero Pretti, Federica Lombardi, Marina Rebeka and Nadine Sierra return.

Valencia (03.06.22). The Minister of Education, Culture and Sport, Raquel Tamarit, presented the artistic program of Les Arts for the 2022-2023 Season, accompanied by the institution's artistic director, Jesús Iglesias Noriega, and the president of the Board of Trustees of Les Arts, Pablo Font de Mora.

Les Arts explores five centuries of opera, from Monteverdi to the new creations of the 21st century, maintaining its universal perspective on the worlds of lyric and symphonic repertoire; from the Baroque, the 'Lied' and Flamenco to other music, in addition to its essential commitment to Dance.

According to Regional Minister Raquel Tamarit, “two thematic axes underpin the various proposals: light as a driving force and the celebration of life. Furthermore, as part of our commitment to an open and inclusive program, Les Arts begins its seventeenth season in Altea on September 1st, with the first of three concerts outside its Valencia venue, conducted by James Gaffigan, principal conductor of the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana. This regional focus complements our active presence in Castelló de la Plana; the new 'Les Arts Volant' project, featuring the opera 'Cendrillon'; and the 'Les Arts amb Tu' tour, all of which strengthen Les Arts' activities throughout our region.”

“The program also increases the number of outreach and community-oriented initiatives with 'Les Arts és per a Tots', which is growing with new proposals, and a new line of work: 'Les Arts és Inclusió', aimed at groups at risk of social exclusion and which this year will take the OCV and the Centre de Perfeccionament to different prisons in our territory,” Tamarit added.

The attraction of new audiences incorporates a new musical section: 'Les Arts és Músiques Valencianes', with special attention to the musical fabric of the Valencian Community in its different styles and expressions.

The artistic director of Les Arts has detailed the program for an operatic season that features five new productions: 'Zelle', 'Anna Bolena', 'Cendrillon', 'L'incoronazione di Poppea' and 'Ernani', titles never before seen in the theater's repertoire, which join the also previously unseen 'Jen?fa', 'Alcina' and 'El cantor de México'; also three works highly appreciated by the Valencian public: 'La bohème', 'Don Giovanni' and the long-awaited return of Wagner with 'Tristan und Isolde'.

Renowned experts take over the direction of opera and zarzuela in the pit, with James Gaffigan for Puccini and Wagner; Gustavo Gimeno in his return to the Main Hall with Janáček; Riccardo Minasi (Mozart); Michele Spotti (Verdi); Maurizio Benini (Donizetti); Marc Minkowski (Handel); Leonardo García Alarcón (Monteverdi), and Óliver Díaz in the operetta 'El cantor de México'.

The resident companies of Les Arts, the Cor de la Generalitat and the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana (OCV) will also work with leading conductors in the symphonic repertoire, in which, along with James Gaffigan, Gustavo Gimeno, Pablo González and Antonello Manacorda will repeat, and where established conductors such as Fabio Luisi, Andrés Orozco-Estrada and Vasily Petrenko will make their debut.

The different programming lines dedicated to the voice bring together once again the most sought-after performers, recognized specialists in their genre and emerging stars in the wide range of artists who will visit Les Arts.

Cecilia Bartoli and Juan Diego Flórez, as the absolute protagonists of 'Les Arts és Grans Veus', lead an ambitious challenge with the first forays in Valencia of several 'prima donnas' of the operatic scene: Angela Meade ('Ernani'), Ricarda Merberth ('Tristan und Isolde'), Magdalena Kožená ('Alcina'), Corinne Winters and Petra Lang ('Jen?fa').

Similarly, the 'Lied' cycle, which this year invites Christian Gerhaher, Marina Rebeka, Nadine Sierra and Marianne Crebassa, will feature the premiere performance of Andrè Schuen, designated successor to the great names of the genre, with accompaniment by the OCV under the direction of Anna Suškowska-Migoš.

Meanwhile, the second edition of 'Les Arts és Barroc' brings together the most respected national performers: Maite Beaumont, Èlia Casanova, Quiteria Muñoz and Pino de Vittorio, within this year's program with La Tendresa, Concerto 1700, Capella de Ministrers and Al Ayre Español.

Strong casts support each of the opera titles, most notably the debut of Eleonora Buratto as Anna Bolena, which marks the beginning of Les Arts' co-production of the 'Tudor Trilogy'. The Italian diva, who will portray all three of Donizetti's queens in this project, will be joined by Alex Esposito (Enrico VIII), Ismael Jordi (Lord Riccardo Percy), and Silvia Tro Santafé (Giovanna Seymour).

Federica Lombardi and Saimir Pirgu will play Mimì and Rodolfo in 'La bohème', with Marina Monzó as 'Musetta', while 'Don Giovanni' will bring together acclaimed singers in Les Arts: Davide Luciano, Ruth Iniesta, Xabier Anduaga, Gianlucca Buratto, Elsa Dreisig, Riccardo Fassi and Jacquelyn Stucker.

Wagner will return to the Main Hall ten years later with some Bayreuth favorites: Stephen Gould (the definitive Tristan), Ain Anger (King Marke), and Elena Zhidkova (Brangäne). Angela Meade, meanwhile, will make her debut with 'Ernani' surrounded by Verdi greats: Piero Pretti, Franco Vasallo, and Evgeny Stavinsky.

Representatives of established tradition and cutting-edge creativity define the range of aesthetics offered by the 2022-23 Season. Renowned directors such as the British Katie Mitchell ('Jenōfa'), the Dutch Jetske Mijnssen ('Anna Bolena') and the composer Jamie Man ('Zelle') are working for the first time in Valencia alongside the young, but rising, Andrea Bernard ('Ernani').

New talents and names will share the stage with established theater artists, such as Ted Huffman in the new production of 'L'incoronazione di Poppea'; Joan Font for the new production of 'Cendrillon', along with renowned works by Davide Livemore ('La bohème'), Damiano Michieletto ('Don Giovanni'), Àllex Ollé's 'Tristan und Isolde' or the infallible stamp of Emilio Sagi in 'El cantor de México'.

Once again, 'Les Arts és Dansa' maintains its programmatic focus with Sara Baras as the undisputed star of Spanish dance in her first performance at the theater, along with the presence of the great repertoire by the National Dance Company and the award-winning 'Carmen' by John Inger, and the talent of Valencian Marcos Morau and his company La Veronal in 'Opening Night'.

Les Arts will not miss its appointment with the different manifestations of the voice, with names such as Marina Heredia, Alba Molina, Pansequito, Familia Rancapino and Tomatito, in the flamenco cycle, and Melody Gardot, Wim Mertens and Rufus Wainwright in the chapter dedicated to other musics.