Das Leben und der Tod des Königs Lear

An aging monarch, weary of the burdens of rule, decides to split his realm among his three daughters. He summons them to declare which of them loves him most, hoping their proclamations will guide the division of his kingdom and ease his passage toward retirement. The scene opens in the royal palace, where courtiers and loyal retainers gather, setting a tone of strained reverence and looming uncertainty.

The king’s eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan, lavishly profess their devotion, while the youngest, Cordelia, chooses silence, preferring honesty over hollow flattery. Around them, trusted figures such as the steadfast Kent and the conflicted Gloucester watch the proceedings, each aware that the king’s decision will reshape loyalties and power. As the kingdom’s future hangs in the balance, the listener is drawn into a world of pride, love, and the fragile ties that bind family and state.