Kristine Ciesinski

German director Werner Schroeter invited his favourite opera singers to a 13th century abbey near Paris. There was no pre-planned action. There was no script, no continuity. On the other hand, there were precise constraints that provided the rules of the game: the setting, the Abbey of Royaumont, and the chosen participants. Each singer came accompanied by a person of his or her choice, and worked on an aria chosen by the director.

Albert Rosen conducts the Wexford Festival Opera's production of the classic Antonín Dvorák tale about a young woman who defies her parents by insisting on dancing even if it means she must dance with the devil. Anne-Marie Owens plays Kate, who's dismayed to discover that her spontaneous outburst has attracted the attention of one of Lucifer's minions. Joseph Evans stars as Jirka, the handsome shepherd who risks a voyage to hell to rescue her.