Shakespearean classics, a Jesus musical and a funny, offbeat “Fledermaus”: The Bad Hersfeld Festival, which will be held for the 72nd time next summer, will be offering the public a diverse programme.
Bad Hersfeld (dpa/lhe) – The Bad Hersfeld Festival 2023 will open with the Shakespearean classic “King Lear”. The director Tina Lanik, who has already directed the Burgtheater in Vienna or the Munich Residenztheater, could be won for the production, as director Joern Hinkel announced on Friday in Bad Hersfeld. “Tina Lanik is one of the most exciting directors in the German-speaking world. She will provide a completely new look at “King Lear” and work out many current aspects.”
“With King Lear, we are bringing a piece to the monastery ruins that shows people in all their tragedy and ultimately their madness to be human,” said Lanik. The piece offers many exciting and modern aspects – a merciless conflict between generations, a violent turning point in time, a change of system, “young against old, woman against man and daughters and sons who rebel”.
Hinkel explained that “King Lear” has already been staged by male directors four times in the history of the Bad Hersfeld Festival. It is therefore exciting to see Lanik’s interpretation. “I am also pleased that we are also fulfilling the wish of many Hersfeld people to experience a classic in the monastery ruins again.”
Two stories are intertwined in the play by William Shakespeare. It’s about two fathers who cede their power to the next generation and the conflicts that result. The guests of the 72nd Bad Hersfeld Festival could also look forward to prominent actors in some roles, but names have not yet been mentioned. The premiere is on June 30th.
Musical fans can look forward to the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” (premier July 1, 2023) with the title song of the same name and other hits such as “Hosanna”. Directed by Stefan Huber. “Ever since I saw the film from 1973, I’ve been fascinated by the rock opera. So far, there hasn’t been a real opportunity – and now the time has finally come,” explained Huber and at the same time emphasized that the monastery ruins were an excellent backdrop fit the musical.
As a further musical highlight, Hinkel announced “Die Rache der Fledermaus” (from August 11) – a funny and offbeat version of the famous operetta by Johann Strauss, which comes along without violins and plush, but with bass, guitar and cool rhythms. The adaptation by Stefan Kai Tietje and Stefan Huber (which has already been shown in Winterthur and is also coming to the Berlin Komische Oper) includes actor Stefan Kurt, known from numerous “Tatort” productions, and the Pfister siblings, who stand for the finest music cabaret, as Hinkel said.
Children from the age of 5 should also get their money’s worth at the Bad Hersfeld Festival. For them, “The Little Ghost” (premier on July 7, 2023) haunts the monastery ruins. In addition, Hinkel is once again bringing the stage version of the Hollywood film “Club der Toten Dichter” to the stage, which had its European premiere in Bad Hersfeld in 2021.
Advance sales for the new season begin next Thursday (November 24). Until December 31, the festival is offering an early bird discount for “King Lear”, “Dead Poets Society”, “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “The Bat’s Revenge”.
