PERFORMANCE DETAIL

(Messa da Requiem)

Conductor Marek Šedivý
Stage directors SKUTR

Verdi composed his Requiem as a tribute to the writer and poet Alessandro Manzoni. It is a work that moves between prayer and drama, from moments of quiet supplication to the full force of the chorus in the famous Dies irae. It is precisely this powerful theatrical quality that makes Verdi’s Requiem so exceptional and that also makes it such a compelling work for the stage. In our production, four soloists, a large chorus, and a full orchestra confront the fear of death while searching for light and hope.

Since its triumphant premiere in Milan in 1874, the work has remained one of the most striking vocal-orchestral scores of the 19th century. Over the course of a single evening, Requiem unfolds in extraordinary contrasts, from the intimacy of a cappella passages to music of overwhelming force, reminding us that faith and doubt are as deeply human here as they are in Verdi’s operas.

Performed in the Latin original with Czech and English surtitles

Premieres on 15 and 17 October 2026 at the Antonín Dvořák Theatre