Opera
Béla Bartók
The Miraculous Mandarin / Bluebeard's Castle
02 Nov, 25 - 12 Nov, 25
Estreno en el Teatro Real

A double bill featuring the Teatro Real premieres of two works by Béla Bartók. Stage director Christof Loy returns after his Eugene Onegin and Arabella, among other successes, to explore the dark fairy world of this Hungarian composer, bringing together two of his key works and emphasising the connection between them: the power of true, infinite love.
The miraculous Mandarin
One act pantomime ballet, Op. 19, Sz. 73
After Menyhért Lengyel’s story (1917)
Music: Béla Bartók
Teatro Real, in co-production with Theater Basel
Bluebeard's castle
Opera in one act
Libretto: Béla Balázs, after a Charles Perrault’s fairy-tale La Barbe bleu (1697)
Music: Béla Bartók
Teatro Real, in co-production with Theater Basel
Artistic team
Conductor: Gustavo Gimeno
Director and choreography: Christof Loy
Set design: Márton Ágh
Costume design: Barbara Drosihn
Lighting design: Thomas Kleinstück
Chorus design: José Luis Basso
Cast
The miraculous Mandarin
Mandarín
Gorka Culebras
The girl
Carla Pérez Mora
First tramp
Nicky van Cleef
Second tramp
Jarosław Kruczek
Third tramp
Joni Österlund
First libertine
Nicolas Franciscus
Second libertine
Mário Branco
Bluebeard's castle
Duke Bluebeard
Christoph Fischesser
Judit
Evelyn Herlitzius
Prologue
Nicolas Franciscus
Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Real
Synopsis and more information
The Miraculous Mandarin
Three criminals use a beautiful young woman to seduce and attract men so they can attack and rob them. The first turns out to be poor, as does the second. The third, though, is a Mandarin who seems like a good catch. But when he falls into the trap, no act of violence can do away with him, and his desire for the girl keeps him alive even after he is stabbed. Only when the young woman fulfils his wish and gives him her love does the Mandarin finally die in her arms.
Bluebeard's Castle
Driven by love and curiosity, Judith follows Bluebeard to his castle, where she discovers seven locked doors. As she opens them, each reveals an aspect of Bluebeard's soul: a torture chamber, an armoury, a treasure, a garden, a vast kingdom, and a lake of tears. When she reaches the seventh door, the truth about her beloved is revealed: behind it lie Bluebeard's previous wives, condemned to live in eternal darkness. Judith, trapped by her fate and her desire for redemption, joins them while Bluebeard is left alone in the darkness, resigned to his perpetual loneliness.
Cast
Releases
Protective Friend
07 July
2025Supporter and Benefactor Friend
08 July
2025Patron friends
09 July
2025Subscribers friend
10 July
2025Tickets on sale
11 July
2025Performances
- Date/hour
- Space
- Cast
- Subscription ticket
02 November 2025
18:00
Main Auditorium
04 November 2025
19:30
Main Auditorium
06 November 2025
19:30
Main Auditorium
08 November 2025
19:30
Main Auditorium
10 November 2025
19:30
Main Auditorium
12 November 2025
19:30
Main Auditorium
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