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World premiere of Stefan Wirth’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ at Opernhaus Zürich

Thomas Hampson returns to Opernhaus Zürich for his greatly anticipated debut as Jan Vermeer in the world premiere of Stefan Wirth’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, based on the famous portrait study by the Dutch master, Johannes Vermeer.

In her novel of the same name, the American best-selling author Tracy Chevalier brought the painting to life and invented a gripping tale about the artist Vermeer and his muse: Griet, the daughter of an impoverished family in Delft, is employed as a maid in the household of Jan Vermeer. The Opernhaus Zürich commissioned Swiss composer Stefan Wirth to create a musical work for the stage based on the story, featuring staging by Ted Huffman, set design by Andrew Lieberman, costumes by Annemarie Woods, lighting design by Franck Evin, and choreography by Sonoko Kamimura-Easter.

On April 3, 7, 9, 16, 24, 29, and May 6, 8, Hampson shares the stage with Lauren Snouffer as Griet, Laura Aikin as Catharina Vermeer, Liliana Nikiteanu as Maria Thins, Yannick Debus as Pieter, Irene Friedli as Tanneke, Iain Milne as Van Ruijven, Sarah Castle as Griet’s Mother, and Lisa Tatin as Child engine. Peter Rundel conducts.

Bestselling author Tracy Chevalier on “Girl with a Pearl Earring”

Photo credit: Frances Marshall