Soprano Adela Zaharia Receives Standing Ovation in Berlin

Soprano Adela Zaharia captivated audiences in Berlin with her performance as Konstanze in a new production of Mozart's "The Abduction from the Seraglio" at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden. The July 8, 2026, performance followed a June 27 premiere of the Singspiel, which is based on a libretto first published in 1781 and adapted for its 1782 Vienna premiere.

Zaharia, a celebrated artist who won first prize at the 2017 Operalia competition, is a sought-after performer in major opera houses worldwide. Her upcoming season includes a rare double debut at Milan's La Scala, performing Donna Anna in Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and Elvira in Bellini's "I Puritani."

The Berlin production, however, presented a departure from tradition. Directed by Andrea Moses, it featured a "new version and moderation" by Bülent Ceylan, a Turkish-German comedian known in Germany for his theater and TV work. Ceylan not only played the speaking role of Selim Pasha but also "moderated" the performance with improvised and invented texts, interrupting the overture and interjecting with jokes and commentary.

This directorial choice transformed the Singspiel into what the reviewer described as a "vodevil revuistic" to an "unbearable extreme." Ceylan's interjections ranged from a greeting to the audience to announcing the replacement of the tenor playing Belmonte and jokingly claiming credit for the sold-out show. The reviewer expressed initial skepticism upon reading the program's mention of "new version and moderation," particularly given the reputation of "Regietheater" (director's theater) for unpredictable interpretations.