The 2026 production from the Opernfestspiele Heidenheim, conducted by Marcus Bosch and directed by Andreas Baesler, becomes available to watch free on OperaVision from 28 August.
MACBETH — GIUSEPPE VERDI
Opernfestspiele Heidenheim
Recorded: 16 July 2026
Streaming from: 28 August 2026, 19:00 CET
Available until: 28 February 2027, 12:00 CET
Sung in Italian
Subtitles: English, German and Italian
Free streaming on OperaVision
Cast
Macbeth — Thomas Weinhappel
Lady Macbeth — Leah Gordon
Banquo — Don Lee
Macduff — David Esteban
Malcolm — Santiago Bürgi
King Duncan — Oliver von Fürich
Lady Macbeth’s lady-in-waiting — Julia Rutigliano
Fleanzio — Justus Keitel
Doctor / Macbeth’s servant / Herald — Rory Dunne
Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno
Cappella Aquileia – Orchestra of the OH!
Conductor — Marcus Bosch
Director, sets and costumes — Andreas Baesler
Associate director — Marie-Christine Lüling
Associate costume designer — Almut Echtler
Lighting — Hartmut Litzinger
A Shakespeare tragedy at a turning point for Verdi
OperaVision streams Giuseppe Verdi’s Macbeth in a production from the 2026 Opernfestspiele Heidenheim, recorded on 16 July and available online from 28 August.
Premiered in Florence in 1847, Macbeth was Verdi’s first operatic encounter with Shakespeare and occupies a crucial place in his development as a dramatist. Rather than treating the play simply as material for conventional Italian opera, Verdi sought a darker theatrical language capable of conveying its world of ambition, violence, prophecy and psychological disintegration. The libretto is by Francesco Maria Piave, with contributions from Andrea Maffei, after Shakespeare.
The opera follows Macbeth as the witches’ prophecies awaken the possibility of becoming King of Scotland. Encouraged by Lady Macbeth, he murders King Duncan and takes the crown, only to find that power brings neither security nor peace. Banquo’s murder, the apparition of his ghost and the witches’ increasingly ambiguous predictions drive Macbeth further into fear and brutality, while Lady Macbeth ultimately collapses under the weight of guilt.
The Heidenheim staging forms part of the festival’s continuing exploration of Verdi’s early operas. Andreas Baesler directs the production and also designs its sets and costumes, with Marcus Bosch conducting Cappella Aquileia and the Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno.
Austrian baritone Thomas Weinhappel takes the title role, with Leah Gordon as Lady Macbeth. Don Lee sings Banquo, David Esteban is Macduff and Santiago Bürgi appears as Malcolm.
The performance is streamed free by OperaVision and remains available until 28 February 2027. It is sung in Italian with subtitles in English, German and Italian.
Watch Macbeth
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