Richard Strauss's seldom-staged 1928 opera The Egyptian Helen receives a rare, grand-scale new production directed by Christian Räth at Bard SummerScape 2026. Soprano Hailey Clark makes her SummerScape and title role debuts, joined by tenor John Matthew Myers as Menelaus, soprano Jana McIntyre as the sorceress Aithra, mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel as the Omniscient Seashell, and baritone Blake Denson as Altair. The production features close to 40 singers alongside the American Symphony Orchestra and Bard Festival Chorale, conducted by festival founder Leon Botstein. Presented in Strauss's original 1928 edition, the production runs five performances on July 24, 26, 29, 31, and August 2.
Cast and Creative Team for The Egyptian Helen at Fisher Center at Bard
Cast
Hailey Clark
Helena
John Matthew Myers
Menelaus
Jana McIntyre
Aithra
Deborah Nansteel
Omniscient Seashell
Blake Denson
Altair
Minghao Liu
Belmonte
Jana McIntyre
Konstanze
Aaron Blake
Pedrillo
Catherine Creed
Blonde
Harold Wilson
Osmin
Creative Team
Christian Räth
Director
Leon Botstein
General Manager
Daniel Unger
Scenic Designer
Mattie Ullrich
Costume Designer
Catherine Galasso
Choreographer
Tyler Micoleau
Lighting Designer
Elaine McCarthy
Projection Designer
Marco Nisticò
Director
John Horzen
Video Projection Designer
News About The Egyptian Helen at Fisher Center at Bard
THE EGYPTIAN HELEN to Open at Bard SummerScape in Rare New Production
June 23, 2026 The Fisher Center at Bard will present Richard Strauss's seldom-staged 1928 opera THE EGYPTIAN HELEN at Bard SummerScape, starring Hailey Clark, John Matthew Myers, and Jana McIntyre in a new production by director Christian Räth.About the Theatre
Fisher Center at Bard Frequently Asked QuestionsFAQ
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