BLÜHEN (BLOSSOMING)
BLÜHEN (BLOSSOMING)
Music: Vito Žuraj
Libretto: Händl Klaus
A bold addition to the genre of contemporary opera is coming to the Slovenian stage: Blühen (Blossoming), by Slovenian composer Vito Žuraj, will be brought to life in autumn 2025 on the grand stage of the Maribor Opera. Inspired by Thomas Mann’s final novella The Black Swan (Die Betrogene) and set to a libretto by Händl Klaus, this opera explores the fragile boundaries between aging, desire, and self-perception. At the heart of the story is Aurelia, a widow whose body and emotions begin to undergo unexpected changes after an encounter with a young American student named Ken. What follows is a quiet yet profound transformation in how she sees herself and the world around her. Žuraj’s refined score stands out for its psychological depth, blending intricate, finely detailed instrumental textures with vocal lines that reveal vulnerability, tension, and inner strength. The music never overshadows the drama but instead traces the emotional landscape with precision, illuminating moments of striking intimacy. Following its acclaimed world premiere in 2023 at Oper Frankfurt, Blühen now arrives before Slovenian audiences in a new staging that confronts the realities of aging – particularly in the lives of women. Rather than offering universal answers, it opens a new, more accepting space for reflection.
In co-production with the Slovene Chamber Music Theatre and Cankarjev dom Ljubljana
Ondina Otta Klasinc Hall
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