Der Zarewitsch - Volksoper Wien - 2026

Volksoper Wien, Wien

The young heir to the throne, Alyosha, is deeply unhappy. He feels alone; loneliness gnaws at him, yet the true reason for his unhappiness lies even deeper—and he may not even be aware of it himself. Until now, Alyosha had avoided contact with women, and yet he longs for something—and for someone. This “angel” appears to Alyosha in the form of a young man. Alyosha is drawn to him, but soon he can no longer explain his feelings even to himself. In Lehár’s version, this man is Sonja, the ballet dancer in disguise, who was brought to him to ensure the dynasty’s survival. Soon, this relationship—which is not befitting his station—must come to an end, yet Alyosha and Sonja are not willing to give up their feelings.

Dutch director and visual artist Steef de Jong transposes the work—originally set in Russia—into a universal fairy-tale realm. He brings *The Tsarevich* to the stage as a live-animated silent film featuring four singers. Through beautiful and imaginative drawings and animations—filmed live and projected onto the stage—a unique aesthetic cosmos is created, into which the audience can immerse itself.