Stockhausen's "Mittwoch aus Licht" Premieres at Deutsche Oper Berlin

The Deutsche Oper Berlin has staged the first fully scenic production in Germany of Karlheinz Stockhausen's "Mittwoch aus Licht," under the new intendant Aviel Cahn. The opera, part of Stockhausen's seven-part cycle "Licht," runs over four hours with two intermissions. Directed by Susanne Kennedy and Markus Selg, the production presents Stockhausen's work as cool, almost anti-expressionist ritual art, countering common clichés about the composer. The cast includes coloratura soprano Rachel Pinevska as the president of a cosmic parliament, with chorus master Jeremy Bines. The orchestra Le Balcon, led by Stockhausen specialist Maxime Pascal, performs offstage. The famous Helicopter String Quartet was recorded at Schönhagen airport south of Berlin and transmitted live to the opera house, with four string players performing in separate helicopters. The production blends humor and seriousness, drawing parallels to Star Wars and Star Trek, and features video art by Markus Selg. The premiere marks a significant revival of Stockhausen's operatic legacy in Germany.