The evening will begin with a fascinating introductory presentation, in which English scholar Anna Warje will discuss the original Bluebeard fairy tale and its many adaptations, the biography of the real “Bluebeard,” and the underlying themes of Bartók’s deeply psychological opera, Bluebeard’s Castle.

Written for a cast of two characters, Bluebeard’s Castle is the story of Duke Bluebeard and his new bride, Judith.  Bluebeard lives in a world of darkness, and Judith is determined to bring light and love into her husband’s life.  When Bluebeard forbids her to open the seven locked doors of his castle, Judith passionately insists that her love for Bluebeard gives her the right to know everything about him.  Thus begins a battle of the wills that ends in tragedy, as Judith learns a terrible secret about the man she has married.

*Sung in the original Hungarian*

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