- South Bohemian Theatre
- Opera
- Winton’s Train
Winton’s Train
Mario De Rose
A new opera about humaneness and heroism
Premiere 6. 5. 2021
Premiere shifted from the 19/20 season
Motto: “Ignis aurum probat miseria fortes viros.”
(Fire tests gold and adversity tests the brave.)
Seneca
An opera about the people who found the courage to step out of line and help when many others caused harm or were scared. It is inspired by the life of Sir Nicholas Winton, who, in 1939, rescued 699 Czechoslovak Jewish children and became one of those bearers of light in the days of darkness.
The production is prepared in coproduction with the Landestheater Niederbayern in Passau, directed by the artistic director Stefan Tilch. The 90-minute-long work, whose libretto and music were composed by Mario De Rose, with dramaturgical contributions by Pavel Drábek and Simona Petrů, consists of three parts. The first part, Conditio humana (The Human Nature), deals with the vulnerability, weaknesses and inclination to cause harm to others. The second part, Horror noctis (The Horrors of the Night), is about the seemingly infinite darkness. And the last, Lux (The Light), deals with the sparks of hope, the moments in which we decide to change the course of things, and finally, about the return to tolerance, kindness, respect, personal liberty and human rights. In dramatic situations, historical moments mingle with fragments of classical European literature, sung in the original languages.
Winton’s train is a homage to those heroes – some well-known and some forgotten – who placed themselves in danger, and thus contributed to making the world a little friendlier place to live.
- Musical direction
- Basil H. E. Coleman
- Director
- Stefan Tilch
- Charles Cusick Smith
- Phil R. Daniels
- Pavla Beranová
- Pavel Drábek
- Simona Petrů
- František Řihout
- Martin Veselý
- Mikoláš Troup
- Videoart
- Tomáš Hrůza
- Michaela Freudenschussová
- Zdeněk Mládek
Performing
The production is no longer in the repertoire
Feedback from viewers
This production has not received any reviews.