The German director Christof Loy closed last season at the Liceu with a brilliant production of Rusalka, by Antonín Dvořák, with Piotr Beczala and Asmik Grigorian in the leading roles, both in a state of grace. Loy had the indispensable accomplice of set designer Johannes Leiacker, another master of clear lines and contained emotion, with whom he also worked on the staging of Jules Massenet's opera Werther, ten performances of which will be given at the Liceu from May 2 to 17, with a double cast. In the first (on the 4th, 7th, 9th, 14th and 17th), two singers debuting in the roles: Basque tenor Xabier Anduaga as Werther and German mezzo-soprano Kristina Stanek as Charlotte; two roles that in the second cast (on the 2nd, 5th, 8th, 11th and 16th) are sung by American Matthew Polenzani and AzerbaijaniElmina Hasan.