Barrie Kosky's 'Die Frau ohne Schatten' Triumphs at Aix-en-Provence Festival

The 2026 Festival d'Aix-en-Provence opened with a critically acclaimed production of Richard Strauss's 'Die Frau ohne Schatten' (La Femme sans ombre), directed by Barrie Kosky and conducted by Klaus Mäkelä with the Orchestre de Paris. The opera, premiered on October 10, 1919, in Vienna, was performed at the Grand Théâtre de Provence on July 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15. The production was realized by the late festival director Pierre Audi. The cast includes American baritenor Michael Spyres as the Emperor, Lithuanian soprano Vida Mikneviciuté as the Empress, Swedish soprano Nina Stemme as the Nurse, American-Irish baritone Brian Mulligan as Barak, and Canadian soprano Ambur Braid as Barak's Wife. The staging features a remarkable set design with a three-level tower representing Barak's workshop, a giant rocking horse for the Emperor's hunting scene, and a third act on an immaculate stage with a giant head symbolizing the Spirit King. The production received a standing ovation and is hailed as a historic event.