''Caligula'' is 2006 German-language opera by

Detlev Glanert Detlev Glanert (born 6 September 1960) is a German opera composer, who has also composed numerous works for chamber and full orchestra, including three symphonies. Life Detlev Glanert was born in Hamburg in 1960. He came to music late, learnin ...

in four acts to a

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

Hans-Ulrich Treichel Prof. Dr. Hans-Ulrich Treichel (born 12 August 1952) is a Germanist, novelist and poet. His earliest published books were collections of poetry, but prose writing has become a larger part of his output since the critical and commercial success ...

, freely adapted from the 1945 play by

Albert Camus Albert Camus ( , ; ; 7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher, author, dramatist, and journalist. He was awarded the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the second-youngest recipient in history. His work ...

. The published version by

Boosey & Hawkes Boosey & Hawkes is a British music publisher purported to be the largest specialist classical music publisher in the world. Until 2003, it was also a major manufacturer of brass, string and woodwind musical instruments. Formed in 1930 throu ...

also includes an English version by

Amanda Holden Amanda Louise Holden (born 16 February 1971) is an English actress, media personality, and singer. Since 2007, she has been a judge on the television talent show competition ''Britain's Got Talent'' on ITV. She also co-hosts the ''Heart Brea ...

. The opera premiered at the

Oper Frankfurt The Oper Frankfurt (Frankfurt Opera) is a German opera company based in Frankfurt. Opera in Frankfurt am Main has a long tradition, with many world premieres such as Franz Shrek's ''Der ferne Klang'' in 1912, '' Fennimore und Gerda'' by Frede ...

, conducted by

Markus Stenz Markus Stenz (born 28 February 1965, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Rhineland-Palatinate) is a German conductor. He studied at the Hochschule für Musik Köln with Volker Wangenhein and at Tanglewood with Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa. Stenz has ...

, directed by . The plot of Camus' play tells of the last days of

Caligula Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), better known by his nickname Caligula (), was the third Roman emperor, ruling from 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the popular Roman general Germanicu ...

Roles

Recording

*''Caligula'' – Ashley Holland (Caligula),

Michaela Schuster Michaela Schuster is a German operatic mezzo-soprano. She debuted at The Royal Opera as Herodias in '' Salome'' in 2008, and has since sung Princesse de Bouillon in '' Adriana Lecouvreur'', and Venus in ''Tannhäuser''. In the 2013/14 season, she ...

(Caesonia), Martin Wölfel (Helicon), and Dietrich Volle (Mereia/Lepidus),

Barbara Zechmeister Barbara Zechmeister is a German operatic soprano and voice teacher. A member of the Oper Frankfurt from 1996, she has appeared in major European opera houses and international festivals. She has performed in world premieres, and in recitals and ...

(Livia), Hans-Jürgen Lazar (Mucius),

Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester The Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester ''(Frankfurt Opera House and Museum's Orchestra)'' is the resident orchestra of the Oper Frankfurt. Its somewhat peculiar name is derived from the series of "Museum Concerts", organized by the Frankfurte ...

Oehms Oehms Classics is a German classical music label founded in 2003 by Dieter Oehms (born in Manderscheid, Bernkastel-Wittlich in 1941), a former manager for 35 years with DGG/Polygram and Arte Nova Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase ...

2012Review
by Andrew Clements, ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'', 30 April 2010: "A full German libretto is included in the booklet, but there's no English version."

References

{{reflist 2006 operas German-language operas Operas Operas based on plays Operas based on real people Operas set in the 1st century Cultural depictions of Julia Drusilla Cultural depictions of Caligula