Rusalka's song to the moon is one of the highlights in the fairy-tale world of Dvořák’s supremely romantic opera.

Star soprano Malin Byström, whose strong title roles include Salome, Jenůfa and Tosca, debuts in the role as Rusalka, the water nymph who longs to be human. Her fatal love is sung by Brandon Jovanovich, who also has performed as the prince at The Metropolitan as well as at Wiener Staatsoper. Hege Høisæter arrives in her home town as the witch Ježibaba and Allison Cook is the foreign princess. Eivind Gullberg Jensen conducts the Bergen Philharmonic.

Dvořák’s Rusalka is regarded as a national treasure in the Czech Republic, however in Norway this romantic and melodic gem is rarely performed. Gullberg Jensen conducted Rusalka, for the first time in Norway, in Oslo in 2009 for the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet.

Whilst the music is classic, and the world it inhabits unique, director Àlex Ollé plans to go deeper than just conveying a fairy tale: for him, the fatal love story about the water nymph Rusalka and the prince is an allegory of alienation and being different in the world today.

The famous aria "Song to the Moon" is one of the highlights of the opera. Enjoy this recording from Grieghallen, with Malin Byström as Rusalka:

RUSALKA
Opera in three acts

Antonín Dvořák / Music
Jaroslav Kvapil / Libretto  

Eivind Gullberg Jensen / Conductor
Àlex Ollé / Stage Director
Alfons Flores / Set design
Lluc Castells / Costume design
Urs Schönebaum / Lighting design
Håkon Matti Skrede / Chorus master

Soloists /
see biographies and photos
at the bottom of this page

Teatertigrene / Extras

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Edvard Grieg Choir
Lady chorus from Bergen Philharmonic Chorus (offstage chorus)

18, 20, 22 and 24 March 2023
Grieghallen

Sung in Czech, surtitles in Norwegian  

Duration 3  hours, with 30 minutes intermission included   
The intermission takes place after act 1 and 2, i.e. after 1 hour and 40 minutes
Act 3 is approximately 45 minutes long

Introduction by Gunnar Danbolt (in Norwegian) one hour before each performance in the foyer in Grieghallen

Pre-order food and drinks at grieghallen.no - FOLLOW THIS LINK

A new production by Bergen National Opera
Presented by Bergen National Opera in collaboration
with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Edvard Grieg Choirs