Werner Herzog begins rehearsals for Parsifal, the inaugural opera at the Palau de les Arts

Filmmaker Werner Herzog has already begun rehearsals for Parsifal, the opening opera of the 2008-2009 season, in the Main Hall of the Palau de les Arts. General ticket sales for this new production and for all performances begin on October 14.
Parsifal, “Richard Wagner’s sacred stage festival,” will premiere on October 25th and will be conducted by Lorin Maazel, with renowned filmmaker Werner Herzog directing the production. The German director is the creator of such celebrated films as Fitzcarraldo and Aguirre, the Wrath of God.

Parsifal features a vocal cast that includes top names from the international scene such as Christopher Ventris, Violeta Urmana, Sergei Leiferkus, Alexander Tsymbalyuk, Evgeny Nikitin, Stephen Milling and Judith Nemeth.

Violeta Urmana, recognized as one of the finest operatic voices of our time, will sing the role of Kundry in the premiere on October 25 and in the performances on October 27, November 4, and November 7. The performance on October 31 will be sung by Judith Németh. Katarina Dalayman, who had been announced as a singer, will not participate in the production due to a viral infection that will keep her off the stage for several weeks on doctor's orders.

Violeta Urmana will make her debut at the Teatro Real in Valencia in an operatic production following her successful participation in the Puccini Tribute concert last February. Kundry is one of the roles that has brought her the most international acclaim. The soprano will return to the Teatro Real in December in the title role of Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride, alongside Plácido Domingo (Oreste) and Ismael Jordi (Pylade).

All information about the season's program can be found on the website www.lesarts.com.