New York, New York, it's a helluva town…
Deutsche Oper am Rhein Revives Bernstein's On the Town in Duisburg
The opening line of the show's signature number became world-famous through Frank Sinatra, who sang it in the film adaptation and later often performed it alongside the other Theme from New York, New York. With On the Town—the musical from which the song originates—young Leonard Bernstein delivered a dazzling love letter to New York, the city of his dreams, and its people. Bursting with jazzy energy and infectious vitality, his electrifying debut musical from 1944 swiftly conquered the global stage.
Deutsche Oper am Rhein brings On the Town to the Theater Duisburg on Saturday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m., celebrating its premiere with a large, musical-theater-specialized ensemble and the Duisburger Philharmoniker under the baton of Stefan Klingele and Christoph Stöcker. Director Louisa Proske, who has worked internationally as a freelance opera and theater director since 2012 and will open the New York Metropolitan Opera's 2026/27 season with Verdi's Macbeth, understands the city that constantly reinvents itself—a place of longing to this day, and an adventure for anyone swept up in the whirlwind of this American metropolis.
The same goes for the three young sailors—Gabey, Chip, and Ozzie—who have 24 hours of shore leave in New York before shipping off to fight in World War II. Wide-eyed and brimming with zest for life, they explore the city that never sleeps, discovering its endless promises along the way…
operamrhein.de/spielplan/kalender/duisburg
