Premiere of »The Magic Flute« at the Vienna State Opera: Bertrand de Billy conducts

BERTRAND DE BILLY The State Opera honorary member takes over the musical direction instead of Franz Welser-Möst

Slávka Zámečníková as Pamina

Due to health reasons, Franz Welser-Möst is forced to withdraw from conducting the new production of The Magic Flute at the Vienna State Opera (premiere: January 27, 2025). Following successful immunotherapy, unexpected side effects occurred, making his participation impossible.

Bertrand de Billy, recently appointed an honorary member of the Vienna State Opera, will take over the musical direction.

PREMIERE on January 27, 2025

Further performances on 30 January, 1/4/7/10 February 2025

“We meticulously prepared this new production with Franz Welser-Möst in every detail and over a long period. I know how painful it is for him not to be able to realize these ideas himself; the team at the State Opera feels the same way. We all wish him a speedy and lasting recovery. The fact that a conductor as important to the house as Bertrand de Billy is ready to take over the musical direction at this point during the rehearsals is a stroke of luck and obliges us to great gratitude.”

Director Bogdan Roščić (Source: Vienna State Opera )

The premiere of The Magic Flute marks the house debuts of director Barbora Horáková and soloists Julian Prégardien (Tamino) and Ludwig Mittelhammer (Papageno); Serena Saénz as Queen of the Night, Slávka Zámečníková as Pamina, Matthäus Schmidlechner as Monostatos, and Ilia Staple as Papagena can be experienced for the first time at the house on the Ring. Georg Zeppenfeld sings Sarastro.