Opera Camps at Schloss Arenberg

In the opera camps, music-loving children and teenagers aged 9 to 17 become immersed in the world
of opera and spend a week at Arenberg Castle with artists and experienced teaching professionals. Here they engage with material from great operas and conclude the week by performing their own interpretations of the works, assisted by members of the Vienna Philharmonic, in front of an audience.

On the monodrama Erwartung by Arnold Schönberg
and to “Der Abschied” from Das Lied von der Erde by Gustav Mahler
For teenagers aged 15 to 17
Camp language: German, English

An encounter with famous Austrian pioneers of modern music beckons for the young participants. Das Lied von der Erde is perhaps Gustav Mahler‘s most personal composition: ‘Der Abschied’ not only deals with life and death, but also marks an Abschied (farewell) in musical terms, as the writing departs from established compositional norms. Mahler’s younger admirer and friend Arnold Schoenberg composed Erwartung, in which he depicts a woman’s anxious search for her beloved. With this early venture into free atonality, Schoenberg expresses intense emotions through a powerful musical language. The participants in the opera camp will work on creating a performance shaped by their thematic and musical exploration of both works and their creators.

On the opera Maria Stuarda by Gaetano Donizetti
For teenagers aged 13 to 16
Camp language: German, English

Gaetano Donizetti’s bel canto opera Maria Stuarda is based on Friedrich Schiller’s tragedy Maria Stuart. Maria, Queen of Scotland, has been imprisoned for 18 years by Elisabetta, Queen of England. Roberto, the Earl of Leicester, loves Maria and lobbies for her release, unaware that he has incited Elisabetta’s jealousy, as she also harbours feelings for him. Revenge, intrigue, betrayal and a fight for decency and dignity all conspire to entangle the two rivals in a bitter power struggle, which culminates in Maria’s execution. With their singing, acting and music-making, the young participants of the opera camp will experiment with the themes, characters, scenes and highly emotional music of Donizetti’s opera, developing their own perspective on the work.

On the opera Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi
For children aged 9 to 12
Camp language: German, English

William Shakespeare’s dark drama Macbeth was the literary source for Giuseppe Verdi’s opera of the same name. After a victorious battle, the two generals Macbeth and Banco encounter a band of prophesying witches. They predict Macbeth will become King of Scotland, and tell Banco his sons will become kings. These mysterious prophecies ignite Macbeth’s lust for power and drive him to commit murder, aided and abetted by his wife Lady Macbeth. Once crowned King and Queen of Scotland, the couple live in constant fear of losing power and being exposed for their bloody crimes. Spine-chilling encounters, hellish concoctions and dangerous schemes offer the young participants of the opera camp an exciting range of opportunities to act and make music in their own stage adaptation.