The Tempest - Schedule, Program & Tickets

Text Meredith Oakes


Cast

Conductor
Thomas Adès

Directing
Robert Lepage

Stage design
Jasmine Catudal

Costumes
Kym Barrett

Light
Michel Beaulieu

Video
David Leclerc

Choreography
Crystal Pite

Prospero
Adrian Eröd

Ariel
Caroline Wettergreen

Caliban
Frédéric Antoun

Miranda
Kate Lindsey

Trinculo
James Laing

Ferdinand
Hiroshi Amako

Antonio
Daniel Jenz

Stefano
Dan Paul Dumitrescu

Sebastian
Michael Arivony

Gonzalo
Wolfgang Bankl



Contents

Prehistory

After overthrowing his brother Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, Antonio drove him and his three-year-old daughter Miranda out to sea in a boat with the help of the King of Naples. It was thanks to Gonzalo, the king's adviser, that Prospero and the girl survived at all. Out of pity for the exiles, Gonzalo had provided the boat with sufficient food and the books of Prospero. Thought dead by all, Prospero and Miranda finally found refuge on an unknown island, which Prospero subjugated with the help of sorcery.

About 12 years later

1st act

Off the island of Prosperos, a ship gets caught in a sudden heavy thunderstorm and capsizes - the crew and passengers, including Antonio, the king of Naples and Gonzalo, miraculously make it to shore safely. Miranda suspects that her father caused the storm through magical powers and shows great concern and compassion for the ship's occupants. Prospero reassures her: none of the shipwrecked will be harmed. At the same time he speaks to her, who can no longer remember her earliest childhood, for the first time about Milan, her origins and the machinations of his enemies. Deeply saddened by what she heard, Miranda falls asleep. Prospero summons his ministering air spirit, Ariel, and orders him to look after the life and well-being of the shipwrecked.

Now Caliban, the son of the witch Sycorax, the former owner of the island, approaches Prospero: he accuses Prospero of ingratitude and he also makes it clear that he would be interested in Miranda as a wife and future mother of his own offspring. Full of disgust and threats, Caliban is rejected by Prospero.

Meanwhile, the king's son, Ferdinand, who also found salvation on the island separated from his family, meets Miranda. Completely against Prospero's will, the two young people fall in love. Since Prospero, driven by revenge, only sees Ferdinand as his opponent's son, Miranda opposes her father for the first time in her life.

2nd act

The shipwrecked are amazed at the island and their salvation, only the king is worried about his missing son Ferdinand. Attempts to comfort the king fail, especially since the invisible Ariel cleverly stirs up a quarrel between Antonio and Sebastian, or between Antonio and the courtiers.

When Caliban comes to the castaways to incite them against Prospero, he is smiled at and made drunk with alcohol - they decide to go in search of Ferdinand and only Stefano and Trinculo follow Caliban.

Prospero himself has to realize that the mutual love between Ferdinand and Miranda cannot be destroyed and that he has lost power over his own daughter.

3rd act

Caliban, Stefano and Trinculo - all three drunk - go in search of Prospero to kill him, Stefano and Caliban also dream of ruling the island and a future together with Miranda. Meanwhile, the desperate king, convinced of Ferdinand's death, appoints the advisor Gonzalo as his successor in place of his brother Sebastian. When the king and his court fall into a deep sleep a little later, Antonio and Sebastian decide to murder the king and Gonzalos, but the plan is thwarted by Ariel, who wakes the sleeping people in time. At the same time, Ariel reminds the king and Antonio of their guilt for sending Prospero and Miranda to what seemed certain deaths twelve years ago. Meanwhile, Prospero accepts Ferdinand's and Miranda's love, even asks Miranda for forgiveness - Miranda, on the other hand, once again declares her dislike for the murderous Caliban. When Ariel, moved inwardly, points to the grief of the King of Naples and Gonzalo, who continue to mourn Ferdinand, Prospero decides to forgive his enemies and leave the past behind: when those who stray on the island appear before him , he gives Ferdinand back to his father, parts with his magic and sets the spirits free. In anticipation of Ferdinand and Miranda's wedding, they all leave the island on the restored ship - only Caliban remains alone.



Subject to change.