Review of the Premiere of the Chamber Opera "In The Penal Colony" by Philip Glass from the 26th September 2026 at the Mainz State Museum
"Even stronger what Andri Joël Harison did out of Glass’s minimalism. [...] Light and playful, empathizing with every word of the text, he conducted and led the string quintet with lyricism and great dedication through 80 minutes of intensity. [...] By drawing out the maximum beauty and understandability from the eternally recurring sound loops, his interpretation seems to run counter to the actions taking place."
Opern∙News
Kapellmeister at the Mainz State Theatre
Since the 2025/26 season he has been engaged as Kapellmeister at the Mainz State Theatre (Staatstheater Mainz) and directed the children's concert series "Peter and the Wolf", "The Dung Beetle", as well as the revival of the science fiction opera "Humanoid" and performances of "The Emperor of Atlantis".
In the 2026/27 season he is going to conduct the new production "In the Penal Colony" and performances of "The Pirates of Penzance", "Titanic", "The Threepenny Opera", "The Magic Flute" and other works.
7
19:30
IN THE PENAL COLONY
Philip Glass
Chamber Opera
at the
Mainz State Museum
Conductor:
Andri Joël Harison
Ensemble:
Mainz State Philharmonic Orchestra
October
THE MAGIC FLUTE
W. A. Mozart
Opera
at the
Mainz State Theatre
Conductor:
Andri Joël Harison
Orchestra:
Mainz State Philharmonic Orchestra
October
30
19:30
“The world premiere of the first three songs of his song cycle "Die Weisen einer Liebenden" ("The ways of a loving woman") based on his own poems for soprano and piano was an extraordinary success for the composer and an equally extraordinary enrichment for the opera studio of the house. [...]
The composer's piano playing was extremely sensitive, right down to the softest pianissimo. It was as if he had an orchestra in his fingers. The carpet of sound that carried the singer through the pieces was also characterised by a rarely heard transparency. [...]
All in all, this premiere was a remarkable, musical treat that will remain in the audience's memory for a long time."
Online Merker
"The radiant personality of the young musician furthermore enhanced this lucky feeling of the lightness of being. His own composition "Fledermaus-Fantasie" - highly virtuosic and brillantly written over the melodies of Johann Strauss' operetta - was a great treat for the attending guests."
Austrian-Japanese Society
"An impressive musical statement."
Wiener Bezirksblatt
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
Arthur Sullivan &
W. S. Gilbert
Operetta
at the
Mainz State Theatre
Conductor:
Andri Joël Harison
Orchestra:
Mainz State Philharmonic Orchestra
November
8
19:30