Archive of Voices

Lars Conrad, Dietger Holm, Joslyn Rechter; Photo: Susanne Reichardt

Theresa Immerz, Lars Conrad, Joslyn Rechter, Ks. Winfrid Mikus, Dietger Holm, Philharmonisches Orchester Heidelberg; Photo: Susanne Reichardt

Theresa Immerz, Joslyn Rechter, Ks. Winfrid Mikus, Lars Conrad, Philharmonisches Orchester Heidelberg; Photo: Susanne Reichardt

Lars Conrad, Theresa Immerz; Photo: Susanne Reichardt

Lars Conrad, Theresa Immerz, Philharmonisches Orchester Heidelberg; Photo: Susanne Reichardt

Ks. Winfrid Mikus, Theresa Immerz, Joslyn Rechter; Photo: Susanne Reichardt

A European musical theatre project

World premiere

Musical Theatre
Zwinger 1

»A piece of string, good for nothing« / Composition by Oxana Omelchuk / Libretto by Daniela Danz / Interview: Ljudmila Ulitzkaja (Russia)

»Elisa« / Composition by Mariachiara Di Cosimo and Emanuele Savagnone / Libretto by Adriana Altaras Maeß / Interview: Elisa Montessori (Italy)

»Thasos and Europa« / Composition by Ferran Cruixent / Libretto by Emanuel Maeß / Interview: Vasilis Vasilikos (Greece)

[recommended for ages 14 and up]

A group of authors, journalists and scientists around the writer Nora Bossong and the author and journalist Simon Strauss established their association Arbeit an Europa e. V. in light of the controversial debates surrounding the future of the European Union. With the scholarly support of, among others, Aleida Assmann and Heinz Bude, it is their aim to research and carry forward the European idea. Since 2018, they have interviewed people born between 1920 and 1945 for their project »European Archive of Voices«. Speakers come from a range of social backgrounds and professions, and from all over Europe (not only member states); they include those with international acclaim, such as the Russian writer Lyudmila Ulitskaya, engaged citizens and political activists, the Slovenian survivor of the Shoa Eva Mosnakova, politicians, scientists, the Bosnian army general Jovan Divjak and Walter Brandmüller, cardinal in the Vatican.

They all share the European idea, which they illuminate in their interviews at hand of their personal life stories, frequently marked by war, persecution, incarceration, existential needs or the loss of a home. Listen to and read all interviews at https://arbeitaneuropa.com/european-archive-of-voices/.

Voices can enter the world in many different ways; one of the most primal of these is doubtlessly that of music and song. This thought sparked the idea to sift through the interviews for stories that work well on stage, ask renowned writers to turn them into libretti and commission composers to put them to music. Opera houses throughout Europe are asked to cooperate, so that as many voices as possible and their stories are made palpable on stage for a wide audience from different generations.
The Theater und Orchester Heidelberg is kicking off this musical theatre project with a soiree combining three of the interviews as treated by three composition and libretto teams.

Musical Direction

Dietger Holm

Direction and Stage Design

Zino Wey

Costumes

Annina Gull

Sound Design

Lukas Huber

Dramaturgy

Ulrike Schumann

»A piece of string, good for nothing«

Company

Joslyn Rechter Lars Conrad

»Elisa«

Company

Theresa Immerz Joslyn Rechter Ks. Winfrid Mikus Lars Conrad

»Thasos and Europa«

Company

Theresa Immerz Lars Conrad

Director of Studies

Johannes Zimmermann

Musical Rehearsals

Johannes Zimmermann, Paul Taubitz, Hanna Klose, Kens Lui

Costume Assistant

Nora Kirchmeier

Technical Manager Zwinger

Roberto Martinez

Technical Crew

Christian Brecht, Alexander Dressler, Jonah Fellhauer, Christian Raudzis, Roland Rogg, Kristin Rohleder, Martin Rohr, Andreas Schulz, Niklas Ott

Head of the Lighting Department

Ralf Kabrhel

Head of Sound Department

Alexander Wodniok

Sound Master

Chris Stader

Head of Props

Anna Waldenmaier, Jürgen Kohl-Wilz (Deputy)

Props Manager

Wolf Brückmann

Head of Costume Department

Katharina Kromminga

Deputy and Costume Painter

Kristina Flachs

Head of the Dressing Room

Pia Derbani

Women Wardrobe Master

Dagmar Gröver

Men Wardrobe Master

Alexandra Partzsch

Head of Make-up

Kerstin Geiger

Make-up Artist

Marlene Miensopust

Head of the Paint Shop

Dietmar Lechner

Theatre Sculptor

Dmitry Sludyanin

Head of the Decoration Workshop

Markus Rothmund

Head of the Metal Workshop

Karl-Heinz Weis

Head of the Carpentry

Klaus Volpp

Listen to an introduction by Ulrike Schumann (in German) here.

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Trailer by Siegersbuschfilm

Dass es hier »so vollumfänglich gelingt«, aus einem »dokumentarischen Projekt ein theatralisches« zu machen, und »jeder, auch die Musik, eine Rolle findet«, sei nicht selbstverständlich, bemerkt Jesper Klein in der Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung (24. Mai 2023). Dieses Musiktheater zum europäischen Gedanken sei »offenkundig gegenwärtig«, ohne sich aber »zeitgeistig oder aktivistisch« geben zu müssen. Dabei mache das Philharmonische Orchester Heidelberg unter Dietger Holm »einen herausragenden Job« und Theresa Immerz und Lars Conrad spielten in allen Kurzopern »großartig«, es werde »anspruchsvoll vierteltönig« gesungen. »Lang anhaltender Beifall für einen besonderen, Impulse gebenden Abend, an dem die Kunst zum Nachdenken, aber auch zum Handeln anregt«, meint der Rezensent.

Dass Europa »geteilter Gedächtnisraum, [...], persönliche Erfahrung« sei, verdeutliche die Uraufführung in Heidelberg, schreibt Byörn Hayer in der Tagespost (25. Mai 2023). »Verbildlicht« würden die Erzählungen durch eine »ingeniöse Kulisse«, in der die einzelnen Episoden »gleitend« ineinander übergingen, so wie auch Europa »immer im Wandel begriffen« sei. Die »Vielstimmigkeit« Europas spiegele sich im »Farbenreichtum« der Sänger*innen; Dietger Holm dirigiere das Philharmonische Orchester Heidelberg »fabelhaft und kochkonzentriert«. Der Abend habe »Wucht« und sei ein »sehr europäisches Plädoyer auf die Notwendigkeit, aus der Geschichte die richtigen Lehren zu ziehen«.

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Archive of Voices

A European musical theatre project

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