Cast & Characters

The Cast

Arabella: Renée Fleming
Zdenka: Barbara Bonney
Matteo: Raymond Very
Mandryka: Falk Struckmann
Waldner: Eric Halfvarson
Conducted by: Christoph Eschenbach

The Characters

Arabella (soprano) - Zdenka's sister, a charming Viennese debutante. She has several suitors, but dreams of meeting her soul mate. She is particularly taken with a handsome stranger she sees on the street.

Zdenka (soprano) - Arabella's younger sister, she has been raised as a boy to offset the expenses of a girl's wardrobe and lifestyle. Most outside the family know her as "Zdenko", a boy. She is in love with Matteo, one of Arabella's suitors.

Countess Adelaide Waldner (mezzo-soprano) - Arabella and Zdenka's mother. She is concerned over the family's dwindling finances, and hopes that Arabella will marry someone rich.

Count Theodor Waldner (baritone) - Adelaide's husband, Arabella and Zdenka's father. To solve his financial crisis, he sends Arabella's picture to an old wealthy friend of his, in hopes that he will want to marry her.

Mandryka (bass-baritone) - A landowner from Slovenia, and a nephew of an old friend of the Waldner family. He was enchanted by Arabella's picture and traveled to Vienna to meet her.

Matteo (tenor) - A young military officer who is smitten with Arabella. He treats "Zdenko" as a confidant and asks for help in courting Arabella, not realizing that "Zdenko" is really a girl.