The Sting

In the Summer of 2009, the British director Nigel Lowery and the Iranian choreographer Amir Hosseinpour brought to the stage of the Berlin State Opera Unter den Linden, with colour and full of humour, the fantastic and imaginative adventures of "Racing Roland". On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the death of Joseph Haydn, the composer's most renowned opera during his lifetime,Orlando Paladino, was performed, a heroic-comical stage piece based on Ariost's famous Versepos. Singers such as Marlis Petersen (Angelica), Tom Randle (Orlando), Alexandrina Pendatchanska (Alcina), Pietro Spagnoli (Rodomonte), Sunhae Im (Eurilla) and Victor Torres (Pasquale) performed under the musical direction of period-music specialist René Jacobs. The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra completed this high-class production giving the music a beautiful sound and lively swing.

Benjamin Franklin Reed, otherwise known as Sweetie, resents being tied to his mother's apron strings and on the occasion of his 21st birthday decides to assert his adult independence. He begins by smoking a cigar, swearing mildly, and taking a drink. Later, he becomes enamored of a cabaret performer, kisses her passionately before the audience, then goes to her dressing room to apologize and to find that she takes a sympathetic interest in him. The pair decide to elope to Boston, but Benjamin loses his money, and his bride is snatched from him by an irate father. Benjamin learns of a cabaret clown's plot on the girl's life, and following a struggle with the clown, he rescues the girl as the villain falls to his death from a stage platform. Now proved to be a man, "The Cradle Buster" embarks on his honeymoon.

Richard loves Anna but he doesn't understand her. Dylan understands Anna but he loves himself more. Anna wants to love Richard and perhaps does love Dylan but she doesn't love herself enough. Through a series of touching and hysterical (mis)adventures, our not so heroic heroes will have to learn that before being in a relationship they really need to learn how to be.