Theophano: Oper in drei Aufzügen

Set in the mist‑laden dawn of the early Middle Ages, this three‑act opera weaves poetry and music into a vivid tableau of power, faith, and longing. The opening scene unfolds in the austere courtyard of the monastery of Laura, perched on the Athos cliffs, where the stone walls and distant Aegean sea frame a world of cloistered ritual and restless imagination. From this remote sanctuary the drama lifts toward the glittering court of Byzantium, promising a shift from secluded devotion to imperial intrigue.

In the first act, the young Roman emperor‑in‑waiting Alexios and his fierce Norse half‑brother Harald stroll through the monastic grounds, their dialogue a blend of melancholy and yearning for a distant, sun‑lit destiny. Their voices echo against the ancient well and a lone olive tree, hinting at a heritage torn between northern steel and southern splendor. As they speak of voyages and forgotten battles, the audience senses a tension that will ripple through the palace walls and the fate of the twin sisters, Theophano and her sibling, whose shadows already stir the unfolding narrative.