NSOI: Kristiina Poska conducts Bartók's Duke Bluebeard’s Castle

National Symphony Orchestra Ireland
Kristiina Poska conductor
Jennifer Johnston mezzo-soprano (Judith)
Kostas Smoriginas bass-baritone (Duke Bluebeard)

Debussy La Mer
Bartók Duke Bluebeard’s Castle

Hailed as “a unique, thrilling evocation of the sea’s ever-changing moods and mysteries” Debussy’s shimmering La Mer opens this performance. Described as “the musical equivalent of Monet’s impressionist paintings” (BBC Music Magazine) it is a landmark work for the French composer, much loved by audiences today. 

Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle follows, a gripping one-act opera where music and drama intertwine with haunting power. Under the direction of acclaimed Estonian conductor Kristiina Poska, the musical story unfolds as Judith compels Bluebeard to open seven forbidden doors, each revelation drawing them deeper into a realm of memory, desire, and emotional pain. 

Described as having “one of the most generous and beautiful voices in the business” (Prospect Magazine) British mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston brings warmth and expressive depth to Judith, while bass-baritone Kostas Smoriginas, praised for a voice that “impresses with its intensity, its darkness and its…impeccable technique” (Bachtrack), embodies Bluebeard with commanding intensity. 

Presented by NCH