A brilliant festival: Kálmán's countess Mariza inspires in Kaiserslautern!

A brilliant festival: Kálmán's countess Mariza inspires in Kaiserslautern!

The Palatinate Theater Kaiserslautern guested in Heilbronn with an opulently equipped staging by Emmerich Kálmán's masterpiece "Countess Mariza". The direction under Aylin Kalp addresses the downfall of a society and the associated celebrations. This operetta, which was premiered in 1924, reflects the nostalgic transfiguration of a past world, symbolized by a magnificent chandelier, and reflects the end of the Habsburg double monarchy after the First World War.

The performance is designed as a "dance on the volcano", an exaggerated representation of a hedonistic society, the protagonists of which embody the wounds of war and the economic ruin of the Count Tassilo. The center is the Countess Mariza, a rich, spoiled lady who knows the emotional cold of the high society. In the staging, the emotional tensions between Tassilo and Mariza are noticeable in the third act when they meet but do not find any redeeming pronunciation. The happy ending finally arises when Princess Cuddenstein bought Tassilos pledged.

musical impressions

The Palatinate Hharmonie Kaiserslautern under the direction of Massimiliano Iezzi brings the melodies of Kálmáns to life with Verve and Esprit. The highlights of the performance are the fiery CSárdás, which act as a spirited opposite pole to the rollers. Alexander Geller as Count Tassilo and Caroline Melzer as Countess Mariza convince with their passionate performances and give the well -known songs and duets.

The line -up also includes striking character actors such as Johannes Fritsche and Johannes Hubmer and Valerie Gels as Tassilo's sister Lisa. The choir of the Palatinate Theater inspires brilliant missions and contributes to the dense atmosphere of the staging. Choreographies by Elisabeth Margraf underline the struggle of society, while humorous scenes with tassilo inspire the audience.

historical context

Emmerich Kálmán, born on October 24, 1882 in Siófok, Hungary, is one of the most important composers of the Vienna operetta of the 20th century. He became known, among other things, through works such as "Die Csárdásfürstin" and "Countess Mariza". Kálmán, originally trained as a concert pianist, turned to composition due to health problems. His style merges Hungarian folk music with the Viennese waltz and American jazz, which makes him one of the leading composers of the "silver era". Despite his Jewish origin, Kálmán had to leave Austria in 1938, emigrated to Europe via the United States and died in Paris in 1953

Timelessness of "Countess Mariza" is impressively underlined in the staging. With the passionate performance, the ensemble not only got warm applause, but also enthusiastic "bravo" from the audience. The performance lets the audience feel both the melancholy and the liveliness of a past era that Kálmán has masterfully captured in music and action.