Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos elegantly pokes a little fun at the joust between an 18th century serious opera company and a troupe of comedians at the home of the richest man in Vienna. Insulted and furious at the suggestion that one serious performance would follow a comedy on the same evening, the Major Domo returns to inform that due to an elaborate fireworks display, the entertainers would have to find a way to work simultaneously. During the first half, the two groups begin to work things out. The second, is an opera within an opera where the final collaboration is presented.

Sopranos Christine Goerke (Ariadne / Prima Donna), Laura Claycomb (Zerbinetta) and mezzo-soprano Susan Graham (Composer) join forces onstage in this sparkling production directed by John Cox and conducted by Patrick Summers.