Minona – Opera in Two Acts and Four Pictures by Jüri Reinvere

Theater Regensburg, Germany


To mark the 250^th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven Theater Regensburg is commissioning the Estonian composer Jüri Reinvere to write an opera. This work is dedicated to a both unusual and spectacular topic – Beethoven’s presumed natural daughter, Minona von Stackelberg, and his “Immortal Beloved” Josephine Brunsvik. Also writing the libretto to his opera Reinvere, among other things, conducted research in archives in Talinn to investigate the basis for this presumed paternity. Specifically, the presumption is that Josephine Brunsvik was the recipient of Beethoven’s letter addressed to his “Immortal Beloved”. Josephine had been married since 1810 to her second husband Christoph Baron von Stackelberg. Much points to a meeting between Beethoven and Brunsvik in July 1812. At this point Josephine’s marriage was already on the rocks. Nine months after this meeting Josephine gave birth to daughter Minona. Some of her compositions are still intact. Jüri Reinvere will place the daughter and the motif of her absent father centerstage in the opera Minona.

By premiering this opera Theater Regensburg wishes to shed some light, in the Beethoven year 2020, on a little known side to the composer as well as continue its annual series of premieres in music theater. A contemporary composer from Scandinavia is also to be presented to the German audience.


January 18, 2020
Theater am Bismarckplatz, Theater Regensburg, Germany


Further Information:
theater-regensburg.de