Salzburger Festspiele: Zaide oder Der Weg des Lichts

The Singspiel "Zaide" is a pasticcio; Mozart wrote only its middle part, leaving its plot a mystery. Every director is free to choose how to tell this story.

The concept is by Raphael Pichon, a rising star among the new generation of early music conductors following in the footsteps of Harnoncourt and Gardiner. He chose as his production's leitmotifs the struggle against tyranny, the power of true love, and, above all, a profound yearning for freedom.

On the stage of the colossal Felsenreitschule, there is only the play of light and shadow. And people: the baroque ensemble Pygmalion, known for its bold interpretive choices, soloists, and a choir, all dressed in white shirts. No sets. This is a story told through gesture, movement, and song. It is a rare Mozart (thus noteworthy in itself), yet it is still the same great Mozart, which makes "Zaide" invaluable.