Wednesday 06 November 2019

Bloody revenge, love and juicy meat pies are some of the ingredients when musical master Stephen Sondheim serves up joyful chills in the classic about Sweeney Todd.

The American baritone Michael Mayes, known for his intense interpretations of Scarpia and Don Giovanni, among others, enters the stage here in the title role of the devilish barber.
We are in a fog-filled and Victorian London, where the innocent convict Sweeney Todd returns home after escaping from a life sentence in Australia. In pursuit of revenge, the town's worst pie baker Mrs Lovett conveniently appears, and before long people are flocking to enjoy their unusually tasty meat pies in Fleet Street.

In the midst of this burlesque drama, we can also follow the bright and budding love between the young sailor Anthony and Johanna, where we look forward to meeting the award-winning soprano Caroline Wettergreen from Fana in the role of Sweeney's daughter.

Read the full story here

In this scenic concert, we offer internationally known singers who are guests of Grieghallen for the first time, but also happy reunions with Randi Stene and David Curry from last year's success Candide by Bernstein, and Lester Lynch who made a strong impression as Iago in Verdi's Otello in autumn 2017.

Stephen Sondheim / Music and lyrics
Hugh Wheeler, after a play by
Christopher Bond / Screenplay
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Edvard Grieg Choir

Musical in 2 acts
Performed as a stage concert
Sung in English, lyrics in Norwegian

Duration: 2 hours and 45 minutes, including a 30-minute break
Introduction 1 hour before the start of the performance by Gunnar Danbolt

A new production from Bergen National Opera
Presented by the Bergen National Opera and the Harmonien Music Society