Lehár’s The Land of Smiles

With Piotr Beczala and Julia Kleiter, staged by Andreas Homoki and conducted by Fabio Luisi.

“Always smile and always be cheerful, always satisfied, no matter what happens, smile in spite of your sorrows and a thousand aches and pains,” sings Prince Sou-Chong, thus introducing the fundamentally melancholy tone of this operetta, which even has a tragic ending in store.

Franz Lehár’s operetta "Das Land des Lächelns" (“The Land of Smiles”) is one of the best-known hits of all time – and, according to Kurt Tucholsky, is the “Puccini for the common man.” Like Puccini’s "Madame Butterfly", Lehár focuses on Asian subjects, thematizing the European attraction for the exotic in the encounter of two people whose love is shattered by foreign customs and ancient traditions.

For the new production of this operetta Piotr Beczala, a world star who cultivates the tradition of the famous Tauber style like no other, will be returning to the Opernhaus Zürich as Sou-Chong. He has an equal partner in Julia Kleiter, who plays the role of Lisa. Fabio Luisi and Andreas Homoki also know that the genre of operetta requires particular care – which is why they have assumed personal responsibility for this production.

Piotr Beczala, Prince Sou-Chong
Julia Kleiter, Lisa
Fabio Luisi, conductor
Andreas Homoki, stage director

Wolfgang Gussmann, stage and costume design
Ernst Raffelsberger, choreographer
Rebecca Olvera, Mi
Spencer Lang, Graf Gustav von Pattenstein
Cheyne Davidson, Chang

Philharmonia Zürich
Choir of the Opera Zürich

Premiere 18 June 2017, 7 p.m.
Opernhaus Zürich

A production of Accentus Music in co-production with ZDF/Arte.

Original title Das Land des Lächelns
Recording location Opernhaus Zürich
Production Company Accentus Music
Co-Production Company ZDF/Arte