Aribert Reimann: Lear

Aribert Reimann's "Lear" is a milestone in the tragic opera of the 20th century. Ever since it's 1978 premiere at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, it has made it's triumphal progress around the world in more than thirty productions as the most successful Shakespeare opera of our time. The remorseless logic of the action and plot and the primal force of irresistible sonic fantasies give this work the power to hold the attention of it's listeners and viewers from the first moment to the last. The great theme of self-deception is fancifully portrayed in this captivating stage production by Karoline Gruber with a retreat into the interior of a far from frail old man. It is not senility that drives Lear, brilliantly sung by Bo Skovhus, into isolation but his hyperactive ego. The first Hamburg performance of Lear is a musical achievement of the highest order.

Directed by Karoline Gruber, Aribert Reimann: Lear leans on a strong ensemble — Bo Skovhus, Katja Pieweck, Hellen Kwon — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about music titles of 2015.