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Anna
Karenina

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Eugenie Skilnand danser hovedrollen i Anna Karenina Photo: Erik Berg

Everything for love

Anna Karenina has been called the greatest work of literature ever written. The Norwegian National Ballet is once again dancing Leo Tolstoy’s engaging and bitter love story.

“Anna Karenina is not only a story about families, but about an entire society, with hints of the Russian revolution and even communism. It is a masterpiece.” These are the words of Christian Spuck, the German choreographer who turned Anna Karenina into a character-driven classical ballet in 2014.

In demand

Zurich Ballet and the Norwegian National Ballet have joined forces to produce Anna Karenina, which the magazine Dance Europe proclaimed to be the best ballet premiere in 2014. After premiering in Zurich and performing in Oslo in 2016, the ballet has been danced around the world.

Anna Karenina meets Vronskij during a train ride between Moscow and St. Petersburg. Before long, she can no longer imagine returning to her husband and family life but must make a fateful choice between family – and her son – and an all-consuming love. This takes place among the rustling of dresses and gossiping at parties in the upper class of which she is a part.

Grand music

Christian Spuck has chosen to set the ballet to music by Russian composer Sergej Rakhmaninov and Polish composer Witold Lutosławski. The music is performed by the piano soloist Håvard Gimse and the Norwegian Opera Orchestra and Ingebjørg Kosmo sings an interpretation of several of Rachmaninoff's Russian folk songs.

Anna Karenina is a co-production between Zurich Ballet and the Norwegian National Ballet.

  • Free introduction in Norwegian one hour before the performance
  • Pre-order intermission refreshments at the opera: pauseservering.no

Artistic team and cast

  • Choreographer
    Christian Spuck
  • Music
    Sergej Rakhmaninov, Witold Lutosławski, Sulkhan Tsintsadze, Josef Bardanashvili
  • Set designer
    Christian Spuck, Jörg Zielinski
  • Costume designer
    Emma Ryott
  • Lighting designer
    Martin Gebhardt
  • Dramaturgy
    Michael Küster, Claus Spahn
  • Video design
    Tieni Burkhalter
  • Sound collage
    Martin Donner
  • Conductor
    Robertas Servenikas
  • Performers
    The Norwegian National Ballet, The Opera Orchestra, Håvard Gimse (piano), Ingebjørg Kosmo (mezzo soprano)
    • Anna
        • 26. Oct 2019 18:00
        • 30. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 15. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 28. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 5. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 16. Nov 2019 18:00
        • 7. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 9. Nov 2019 15:00
        • 13. Nov 2019 19:00
    • Karenin
        • 26. Oct 2019 18:00
        • 30. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 15. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 28. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 5. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 16. Nov 2019 18:00
        • 7. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 9. Nov 2019 15:00
        • 13. Nov 2019 19:00
    • Vronskij
        • 26. Oct 2019 18:00
        • 30. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 15. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 28. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 5. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 16. Nov 2019 18:00
        • 7. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 9. Nov 2019 15:00
        • 13. Nov 2019 19:00
    • Kitty
    • Levin
        • 26. Oct 2019 18:00
        • 30. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 15. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 28. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 5. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 16. Nov 2019 18:00
        • 7. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 9. Nov 2019 15:00
        • 13. Nov 2019 19:00
    • Dolly
        • 26. Oct 2019 18:00
        • 30. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 15. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 28. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 5. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 16. Nov 2019 18:00
        • 7. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 9. Nov 2019 15:00
        • 13. Nov 2019 19:00
    • Stiva
        • 26. Oct 2019 18:00
        • 30. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 15. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 28. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 5. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 16. Nov 2019 18:00
        • 7. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 9. Nov 2019 15:00
        • 13. Nov 2019 19:00
    • Fyrstinne Betsy
        • 26. Oct 2019 18:00
        • 30. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 15. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 28. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 5. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 16. Nov 2019 18:00
        • 7. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 9. Nov 2019 15:00
        • 13. Nov 2019 19:00
    • Følge til fyrstinne Betsy
        • 26. Oct 2019 18:00
        • 28. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 30. Oct 2019 19:00
        • 5. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 15. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 16. Nov 2019 18:00
        • 7. Nov 2019 19:00
        • 9. Nov 2019 15:00
        • 13. Nov 2019 19:00

Synopsis

SALON I
Stiva Oblonsky is unfaithful to his wife Dolly with the female household employees. Katerina (Kitty) Shcherbatskaya is courted by the landowner Konstantin Levin, who has arrived in town for this sole purpose.

ARRIVAL IN MOSCOW
Anna Karenina has arrived in Moscow from St. Petersburg to mediate between Stiva and Dolly. Stiva meets Anna on the train platform while her travel companion, the Countess Vronskaya, is met by her son. Anna Karenina and Alexei Vronsky are introduced, and this first glance becomes a memory that will last a lifetime.

THE BALL
Levin proposes to Kitty but she rejects him. She is infatuated with Vronsky and hopes he will ask her to marry him. But Vronsky only wants one thing from the ballet, and that is to meet Anna Karenina again. When Anna arrives Vronsky only has eyes for her, and Katerina's world collapses. Anna realises that she is the cause of Kitty's lost hopes, and goes on her way.

TO ST. PETERSBURG
Vronsky pursues Anna to St. Petersburg. During the journey they become better acquainted. In St. Petersburg Anna Karenina is met by her husband, Alexei, and son, Seryozha.

IN THE COUNTRY I
After Levin's proposal is rejected, he returns to his estate and avoids other people.

BETSY'S SALON
The salon of Betsy Tverskaya, a friend of Anna's, is a meeting place for the decadent elite of St. Petersburg. While the strife between Dolly and Stiva continues, Anna and Vronsky meet again. When Karenin arrives to fetch his wife, she refuses to accompany him. The Karenins become the major focus of gossip in the salon: Anna has a shadow named Vronsky.
When the company disappears, Anna and Vronsky are unable to hide the passion they feel for one another. Vronsky's love is so great that Anna forgets her feelings of guilt, shame and adultery.

AT THE RACES
The horse races bring together the elite of society, including the Karenins and Oblonskys, Betsy and the Countess Vronskaya. Anna shrieks aloud when Vronsky falls from his horse, and for Karenin and other witnesses this it is proof of her infidelity. Karenin demands that Anna fulfil her marital obligations.

IN THE COUNTRY II
Levin is busy on his estate. Working alongside the farmers, he forgets his broken heart and once again finds meaning in life. The Katerina who arrives in the country is very different to the one he met previously. She and Levin gradually become closer.

AT THE HOME OF THE KARENINS
After the birth of Vronsky's daughter, Anna nearly dies. In this situation, Karenin forgives both her and his rival. Vronsky, who fears Anna will go back to her husband, tries to kill himself.

/ INTERMISSION

ITALY/RUSSIA
Vronsky has travelled to Italy with Anna. She has put her old life behind her – including Seryozha. Vronsky has given up his military career because of Anna. They are happy to be together, but Anna soon longs for her son, and Vronsky misses the social life he once enjoyed.
They return to Russia. Dolly seems to have made her peace with the notoriously unfaithful Stiva.

WEDDING
Kitty and Levin are getting married.

SERYOZHA'S BIRTHDAY
Anna secretly visits her son, Seryozha. He is now being brought up by Karenin's confidante, Lidia Ivanovna. Both ensure that the meeting between mother and son comes to a quick conclusion. Anna and Karenin have a huge fight, and afterwards Anna is left alone and desperate.

LONELINESS I
Anna is completely ruined. She doubts Vronsky's fidelity and tries to deaden her pain and jealousy with opium.

ISOLATION
While Vronsky can still be part of public life, Anna is shut out and despised as an adulteress. Even her best friend, Betsy, turns her back on her. Jealousy and delusions take over completely. She sees a rival in Princess Sorokina, whom Countess Vronskaya has put forward as a spouse for her son.

LONELINESS II/ANNA'S DEATH
In her isolation, Anna feels that her entire life is disintegrating. Even Vronsky can no longer give her the security she needs. She chooses death. 

Music

Sergej Rachmaninow: Moment musical op. 16 Nr. 3 b-Moll
Grammophon, kurzer Ausschnitt aus Rachmaninow: Sinfonische Tänze op. 45, II Andante con moto (Tempo di Valse)

Witold Lutoslawski: Novelette für Orchester, Nr. 1 Announcement
Edition Wilhelm Hansen (Sikorski)

Sergej Rachmaninow: Sinfonische Tänze op. 45, II Andante con moto (Tempo di Valse)
Boosey & Hawkes

Sergej Rachmaninow: Rhapsodie über ein Thema von Paganini op. 43, Variation 12
Boosey & Hawkes

Sergej Rachmaninow: Night is mournful, 1906, op.26 No.2
Special version by Christoph Barwinek.

Sergej Rachmaninow: Klavierkonzert Nr. 2 c-Moll op. 18, 3. Satz
Boosey & Hawkes

Witold Lutoslawski: Chain 3 für Orchester, III. 38
Edition Wilhelm Hansen (Sikorski)

Ausschnitt Sergej Rachmaninow: Moment musical op. 16 Nr. 3 b-Moll

Sergej Rachmaninow: Rhapsodie über ein Thema von Paganini op. 43 Variation 8 and 9
Boosey & Hawkes

Witold Lutoslawski: Klavierkonzert 2. Satz
Edition Wilhelm Hansen (Sikorski)

Martin Donner „Sense“

Sergej Rachmaninow: Ne poy, krasavitsa, pri mne op. 4 Nr. 4
Special version by Christoph Barwinek.

Sergej Rachmaninow: Rhapsodie über ein Thema von Paganini op. 43 Variation17
Boosey & Hawkes

Witold Lutoslawski: Klavierkonzert, 1. Satz
Edition Wilhelm Hansen (Sikorski)

Witold Lutoslawski: Novelette für Orchester, Nr. 1 Announcement
Edition Wilhelm Hansen (Sikorski)

Sergej Rachmaninow: Klavierkonzert Nr. 2 c-Moll op. 18, 2. Satz
Boosey & Hawkes

Sulkhan Tsintsadze: Miniaturen für Streichquartett, 5. Song
Own material (Sikorski)

Sergej Rachmaninow: 5 Morceaux de fantaisie op.3, Nr. 2 Prélude cis-Moll

Sergej Rachmaninow: Uvyal tsvetok o. op. (The Faded Flower)
Special version by Christoph Barwinek.

Witold Lutoslawski: Novelette für Orchester, Nr. 2 First Event and Nr. 1 Announcement
Edition Wilhelm Hansen (Sikorski)

Sergej Rachmaninow:10 Preludes, Op.23:Nr.1 in F-Sharp minor

Josef Bardanashvili: Concerto quasi una fantasia, 2. Sostenuto

Sergej Rachmaninow: Ne poy, krasavitsa, pri mne op. 4 Nr. 4

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