Xerxes at the Royal Opera in Stockholm - go and see it!

Stage design and scenography we actually do not talk about enough in our work, despite it being so influential. Witnessed it again yesterday, when I was invited by a couple of friends to go and see Händel's opera Xerxes at the Royal Opera in Stockholm. I really do not see enough Opera either, but when I for once went, I was so lucky to catch a really good performance. Great singers, sometimes breathtaking, beautiful scenography and barock music. The director had chosen the setting in a 1930's Persia, in an amazing mix of time shifts - far and near - an opera from 1738 with barock music, talking about Xerxes King of Persia thousands of years before Christ, set in the 30's and played in 2011. Tradgedy and Comedy and the eternal love stories. Final message: No matter how much power you have, you can never force anyone to love you. Karolina Blix as Xerxes was perfect. The designer Robert Innes Hopkins from London has made both the clever scenography and the costumes. Swedish light designer Linus Fellbom has also done a great job. See it!