Karlsson's 'Melancholia' Returns to the Royal Swedish Opera

By Elena Vasquez

The Royal Swedish Opera has revived Mikael Karlsson and Royce Vavrek's opera "Melancholia" for its 2026-27 season. The work premiered at the Stockholm house in 2023 to positive reviews. It is based on Lars von Trier's 2011 film of the same name.

Writing an opera from a celebrated film invites unavoidable comparisons. Composer Karlsson and librettist Vavrek accepted that risk and produced a straightforward retelling of the story. They added no extra events or characters and introduced no new perspective. Karlsson's score carries the atmospheric, emotional and psychological weight that the film conveyed through visual and verbal detail — and through its frequent use of the prelude to Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde."

What Is the Story?

The plot follows two sisters over their final days, beginning on Justine's wedding day. Claire seeks a well-ordered life bordering on the obsessional, with any deviation triggering intense anxiety. Justine suffers from severe depression and struggles to assign meaning to events and relationships.

Justine destroys her own wedding reception — organized by Claire at her rural mansion — through seemingly random behavior, including sex on the golf course with a guest she barely knows. Her marriage to Michael lasts only hours. She also loses her well-paid job after telling her boss, Jack — married to her mother, Gaby — exactly what she thinks of him. Gaby adds further discord with her egotistical behavior.

All of this unfolds against a rogue planet, Melancholia, on a collision course with Earth. Justine accepts annihilation with calm indifference; Claire's anxieties grow. John, Claire's controlling husband, initially insists the planet will miss Earth, then commits suicide when he realizes the collision is inevitable. Justine takes hold of Claire's son Leo's hand in the final scene, while Claire remains paralyzed by fear.

Karlsson and Vavrek trimmed dialogue and simplified scenery, but omitted very few events. The reviewer judged that their "expertly crafted score and libretto certainly did not fall short."

How Does the Score Work?

The music moves between exciting, agitated and calm passages, broken by electronic vibrations felt through the frames of the audience's seats — sounds immediately associated with Melancholia's approach. Despite unsettling tonal and atonal shifts, the score has an internal coherence with an almost symphonic feel. Glissandi suggest the slippery nature of existence; percussion creates wild hypnotic dance rhythms that choreographer Charlotta Öfverholm turned into manic routines. Occasional repetitive verbal and non-verbal chorus sounds heightened the atmosphere. The music also captured the majestic power, even beauty, of the rogue planet itself.

Did the Soloists Deliver?

Soprano Kerstin Avemo dominated Act One as Justine, singing with a hollowed-out, emotionally distant demeanor punctuated by strong outbursts. Her singing was strong and versatile, with an upper register of surety and sparkle. Her only reservation: her English was often unintelligible.

Mezzo-soprano Ida Ränzlöv grew into the central role of Claire in Act Two, delivering powerful monologues that charted her rising insecurity. The reviewer called it "a fabulous performance," moving from focused obsessive to hollowed-out shell — though her English was also not particularly strong.

Mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter portrayed Gaby as totally self-absorbed, dismissing the wedding as "fucking rituals" in an impressively delivered aria. Baritone Jens Persson Hertzman captured Michael's pain in clear, expressive singing, including a beautifully sung aria before his departure.

Bass-baritone Markus Schwarz gave John a confident swagger reflecting a wholly egocentric character whose suicide became inevitable once he was proved wrong. Baritone Johan Edholm excelled as Jack, a man used to being obeyed, projecting his lines as orders. Tenor Michael Axelsson delivered a solid performance as Tim; Andreas Romanitan, as young Leo, rose admirably to an exposed role that included a significant duet with Justine.

The Chorus of the Royal Swedish Opera played a large role, chanting and passing judgement on the main characters through uncomfortable choreographed movements. Conductor Andrea Molino drew a detailed, vibrant reading from the Orchestra of the Royal Swedish Opera, coordinating singers, chorus and recorded electronics with care.

How Did the Staging Land?

Director Sláva Daubnerová, with scenographer Boris Kudlička, costume designer Chrisi Kavronides-Dushenko, lighting designer Tom Visser and Bartek Macias's videos, gave each act its own aesthetic. Act One was realistic: a two-level set with a central staircase and rooms propelled forward as needed. Act Two moved to a garden-like open space, where a screen parted midway to reveal John's hanging body, and Melancholia took on a more menacing aspect.

The climax was suitably spectacular. Justine, Claire and Leo stood on a platform rising from an empty stage as a black circle spun with increasing speed and size. Electronic vibrations pounded; chanting chorus and primeval drums intensified. The circle engulfed the three figures as the music halted abruptly.

The reviewer's verdict: "Melancholia" is "a thoroughly disturbing yet gripping piece of theater." It could not match the film's philosophical depth or visual symbolism, but its music accentuated the characters' psychological and emotional states in a way words alone cannot — and, as the 2026-27 revival demonstrates, the work stands comparison with its source.