When does the performance of King Roger take place?

The performance begins on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 19:30.

Where will King Roger be performed?

The opera can be experienced at the Theater am Bismarckplatz, Bismarckplatz 7, 93047 Regensburg.

How long does the performance last?

The official schedule states a duration of approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes, from 19:30 to 20:55.

How much do the tickets cost?

According to the schedule, ticket prices range from €8 to €52. The lowest listed price is €8.

Who is directing King Roger?

The direction is by state director Sebastian Ritschel. The musical direction is under Stefan Veselka.

What age is the opera suitable for?

The schedule lists King Roger with a recommended age of 14 years and older.

Experience King Roger Live: Szymanowski's Opera Between Power, Ecstasy, and Inner Freedom

Name: King Roger
Start: 2026-10-22T19:30:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-22T20:55:00+02:00
Location: Theater am Bismarckplatz

King Roger: Between Power, Seduction and Inner Freedom

Karol Szymanowski's opera King Roger unfolds an intense stage experience at the Regensburg Theater about political order, religious certainty and the explosive force of repressed feelings. On October 22, 2026, a musically opulent cosmos will open in the theater on Bismarckplatz, where a ruler wavers between duty, desire, and self-liberation.

A King Between Reason and Ecstasy

The opera, premiered in Warsaw in 1926, combines elements of opera and oratorio. At the center is King Roger, who encounters a mysterious shepherd. This shepherd questions the existing order and embodies a sensual, Dionysian counterworld. Church, state, and society demand stability while Roger's inner certainties become fragile.

The libretto was created through the collaboration between Karol Szymanowski and his cousin Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz. The three acts carry programmatic titles: Christian Order, Seduction, and Transformation. From this, the dramaturgy develops a concentrated journey through power, identity, and the longing for a freer life.

Direction with Psychological Pull

State director Sebastian Ritschel is responsible for the staging and focuses on the political and personal dimensions of the work. The conflict between conservatism and sensuality does not appear as a historical footnote but as a contemporary question: How much control can a society withstand before the repressed comes to the surface?

The stage design by Kristopher Kempf works with monumental severity, clear lines, and an atmosphere oscillating between mausoleum and power center. Rows of chairs, a long table, and displaced spatial orders make hierarchy visible. In the lighting mood, the apparent order increasingly tips into uncertainty; dazzling brightness and dark contours reflect Roger's clouded perception.

Szymanowski's Sound World: Opulent, Colorful, Transcendent

The score unfolds an extraordinary richness of color. Under the musical direction of Stefan Veselka, the Philharmonic Orchestra presents the late romantic sound language with great precision and orchestral fullness. Choir, extra choir, and Cantemus choir amplify the sacred and societal scale of this opera.

The acting and vocal design converge in a thrilling duel between Carl Rumstadt as the internally torn king and Martin Enger Holm as the seductive shepherd. Theodora Varga creates a particularly poignant moment as Roxana with her famous song. The Regensburg production combines musical might with psychological intensity and a clear contemporary interpretation.

An Opera About Seduction and Self-Determination

King Roger touches on questions that extend beyond the opera evening: What happens when political power represses one's own feelings? Where does responsibility end, and where does self-denial begin? Szymanowski's homoerotic subtext appears as part of a larger parable about social norms, personal freedom, and the courage to change.

The Regensburg production has been highlighted in the cultural press for its musical quality, its clever dramaturgy, and the strong ensemble performance. Particularly, the colorful orchestration, the choral passages, and the presence of the shepherd have received recognition. The audience experiences an evening that not only presents a rarely performed opera but brings an inner state of exception to the stage.

Conclusion: An Intense Opera Evening at the Regensburg Theater

On October 22, 2026, the audience at the theater on Bismarckplatz can expect a concentrated performance of great musical and dramaturgical density. King Roger combines monumental sound art, dynamic stage designs, and a story about power, desire, and inner freedom. Those who want to experience opera as a sensual reflection on the present will find an extraordinary stage experience here.