Bluebeard’s Castle
19:30 Sat 24 Jan 2026 The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
Change of Artist
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Kostas Smoriginas has had to withdraw from this performance. We are delighted that Christopher Purves will step in as Bluebeard for Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle. There will be no change to the programme.
Programme
- D’un soir triste
- Dances of Galánta
- Bluebeard’s Castlewill be sung in English with English surtitles
Performers
- Anja Bihlmaierconductor
- Jennifer JohnstonJudith
- Christopher PurvesBluebeard
Composers
Horror by horror, door by door
Seven doors, and behind each one, a crucial piece of a gruesome puzzle…
Bluebeard’s Castle by Béla Bartók sits somewhere between a gothic tale of horror and a psychological dissection of a twisted relationship. Alone in a castle, Judith follows a trail of ever more compelling and grisly clues to unlock the truth about her new husband, horror by horror, door by door.
Bartók’s rich orchestration creates a world of shifting colours – glowing warmth, chilling darkness, and eerie suspense. His music is hypnotic, drawing the listener into the unfolding mystery with pulsing rhythms and bold harmonies. More than just a horror story, Bluebeard’s Castle is a deeply human drama about love, trust, and the unknowable depths of another’s soul.
Before the drawbridge lowers, a foreshadowing. Lili Boulanger’s D’un soir triste was one of her last completed works before she died at the age of just 24.
Experience the drama and horror of Bartók's haunting tale, brought to life with enhanced lighting and captivating performances on the Bridgewater Hall stage.
