Admeto

The international music world commemorated the 250th anniversary of the death of George Frideric Handel in 2009. Together with the Edinburgh International Festival, the Göttingen International Handel Festival co-produced Handel's opera Admeto, directed by Doris Dörrie. This production was remarkable in that it combined the Baroque composition with elements of Far Eastern theatre. Not only was the opera ensemble joined by the Japanese International Butoh Dance Ensemble (directed by Tadashi Endo), but the design of the set was based on Japanese theatre models. By tying Handel to Far Eastern theatre culture, the project aimed to develop new and modern ways of performing Handel's opera.
Admeto was performed in Göttingen and Edinburgh. In addition to the traditionally well-versed Handel enthusiasts who attend the Handel festivals every year, the project organizers also hoped to attract even larger audiences by arranging a public screening of the opera premiere outside the theatre in Göttingen.

Director: Doris Dörrie
Musical director: Nicholas McGegan (GB)
Set and costume designer: Bernd Lepel
Choreographer: Tadashi Endo (J)
Lighting technician: Linus Fellbom (S)
Soloists: Admeto: Tim Mead (GB), Alceste: Marie Arnet (S), Antigona: Kirsten Blaise (USA), Orindo: Andrew Radley (GB), Trasimede: David Bates (GB), Ercole: William Berger (ZA), Meraspe: Wolf Matthias Friedrich.
FestspielOrchester Göttingen

Venues and schedule:
Deutsches Theater Göttingen: 26 May - 3 June 2009
Festival Theatre Edinburgh: 27 Aug. - 31 Aug. 2009