On the imposing rock stage of the Luisenburg in Wunsiedel it is wintry and quiet. But the course has long been set for the 2023 summer season. An in-house production dives into German-Czech history. And for the first time travelling.
Wunsiedel (dpa/lby) – It is just 20 kilometers from the open-air stage of the Luisenburg near Wunsiedel to the Czech border – this location inspired those responsible for a German-Czech cooperation for the coming season: artistic director Birgit Simmler wrote the musical “Kalte Freiheit – Spy between the borders”. The play takes place on the border between the Czech Republic and Germany during the Cold War. The music comes from Czech composer Ondrej Soukup.
The piece is based on historical facts, it said in advance. It is about a fictitious border that Czechoslovakia has set up in the Bavarian-Bohemian border region: behind it, those fleeing believe they have reached the safe west. In reality, the border station is a dummy, the people have fallen into a trap. In the 1940s and 1950s there were indeed such false borders, the fugitives ended up in prison camps instead of freedom.
The musical “Sister Act” is again on the schedule. This will not only be shown at the Luisenburg, but the festival will also be traveling with the production: from mid-September 2023, “Sister Act” will be on show at the Festspielhaus Füssen near Neuschwanstein. The Luisenburg Festival announced that cooperation had been agreed with the Festspielhaus for a total of five performances. It is the first time that a musical production of the festival is going on a tour. One wants to continue cooperation and partnerships with suitable theaters and producers over the coming years in order to plan further guest performances.
The Luisenburg Festival 2023 begins on June 16th. According to the information, Germany’s oldest open-air theater attracts more than 100,000 spectators every year in summer – without pandemic restrictions.
