It was an evening that captivated the audience with wit, pace and musical sophistication. Two one-act operas, two composers, two perspectives on the eternal theme of jealousy, and a music theatre experience that joyfully defied categorisation.

Mieczysław Weinberg’s Lady Magnesia from 1975, based on George Bernard Shaw’s biting farce, unfolds as a pitch-black comedy about murder plots, manipulation, and the art of turning conversation into a weapon. Bohuslav Martinů’s Zweimal Alexander from 1937 pushes the game of mistaken identities to the extreme. A husband tests his wife’s fidelity and in doing so only fuels her imagination even further.

Irene Delgado-Jiménez conducted the Wiener KammerOrchester and, together with director Anna Bernreitner, shaped an evening that revelled in the subtle ruptures, jazzy intermezzi and exuberant inventiveness of both composers. Sets and costumes by Manfred Rainer and Hannah Öllinger, choreography by Steffi Wieser and lighting design by Franz Tscheck created a space in which absurdity and elegance went hand in hand.

The audience celebrated all performers with prolonged ovations: Josefine Göhmann as Lady Magnesia and Armande, Peter Kirk as Sir George and Oskar, Jacob Phillips as Alexandre and Adolphus Bastable, and Timothy Edlin as The Portrait. Wilma Kvamme was also seen as Phyllis and Philomène as part of the CAMPUS cooperation with the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Also appearing were the dancers Johann Ebert, Tíria Krisztina Palkovics and Antoinette Pylarinu.

Bravi tutti!