Ingmar Bergman, the Swedish director who has made the Brooklyn Academy of Music his American home for many years, will bring his latest piece, Maria Stuart, to the outer borough institution June 12-16 for five performances only.

Easily Friedrich von Schiller’s most famous play, Maria Stuart tells of the dramatic psychological duel to the death between cousins Queen Elizabeth I of England and pretender to the throne Mary Queen of Scots. In Schiller’s treatment, Elizabeth—a Protestant to Mary’s Catholic—represents to coming shape of political rule: bloodless, conniving, analytical and ruthless—a force under which the emotional, sensual Mary must succumb. With the execution of Mary, Elizabeth wins the battle and retains her crown, but finds herself completely morally isolated, abandoned by her advisors and her lover.

Lena Endre and Pernilla August head the cast as Elizabeth and Mary, respectively.

Bergman brought his production of Strindberg’s The Ghost Sonata to BAM in 2001.

2000 saw a different play by Schiller grace BAM’s Harvey Theatre: The Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Don Carlos. The play, about public and private discord in 16th-century Spain, featured John Woodvine, Josette Simon and Rupert Penry-Jones in the title role. Gale Edwards directed. —By Robert Simonson