Oedipus Rex

Stravinsky based Oedipus Rex on the ancient Greek tragedy of the same name by Sophocles—yes, the one where Oedipus unknowingly kills his own father and marries his mother. The 1927 opera is a highly stylized, ritualistic work. A narrator describes the action throughout the course of the opera. Stravinsky set his work in Latin but specified that the narration is to be spoken in the language of the audience. The performance featured imaginative projected animations created by Manual Cinema.

Music Director James Conlon conducts a stellar cast led by tenor Russell Thomas, LA Opera's Artist in Residence, as Oedipus, the doomed king. Mezzo-soprano J'Nai Bridges returns as Jocasta, his queen (and mother). Legendary actor Stephen Fry will make his LA Opera debut (via audio recording) as the Narrator in this equally-legendary tale.

Click here to read the digital program.

The production was performed by the principle singers live June 6th, then streamed online for free June 17-July 18, 2021.