Wiener Blut by Johann Strauss at Gärtnerplatztheater Munich

Xl_1416582415_x_10a2869 © Christian Pogo Zach

After his successful operettes Fledermaus and Zigeunerbaron, old aged Johann Strauss was asked to compose one more "hit" to rescue a financially stressed impresario and theatre manager in Vienna. In order to complete the task Johann Strauss created a pasticcio of some of his beloved melodies. The well reputated librettist Leo Stein and Victor Leon delivered the amusing textbook full of irritations around a Vienese aristrocatic playboy serving several intriguing lovestories. It is a mirror to Vienese society playing in the times of the Vienese congress. The operette was a disaster at her first presentation but due to overwhelming reputation of the composer and his melodies later on it become a similar success as his early works.  

So it is more than evident that Josef Köpplinger, Director of the Munich Gärtnerplatztheater invited mostly Austrian artists and singers to realise this new production. Performed at the lovely baroque Cuvillèstheater in the Munich resedential palace, it got the perfect ambience. Young directrice Nicole Claudia Weber worked out a fast moving arrangement with lots of action on stage. Marie Luise Walek designed precious historical costums  of the late 19th  century and Karl Fehringer and Judith Leikauf made a easy to handle stage design based on a moving platform so we can quickly change sites from the Villa of Graf Zedlau to the bal in the palace of Graf Bitowski and end up in the popular wine garden in the end. The Austrian and Vienese environment is recognizeable in plot of Klimt like paintings, big Swarowski crystals and choclate factory like decorations. Rather important for the success of the performance is the participation of real Vienese originals being well trained in using the local slang like Wolfgang Hübsch als Kagler and Harald Hofbauer as Graf Bitowski: The good looking amour hunting Graf Zedlau is staged by a stiff Tillmann Unger with a small and pressed tenor in his height. Cornelia Horak is his naturally elegant wife, Gräfin Zedlau with a soft voice. His mistress, the ballett dancer Franziska Cagliari sung by Ella Tyran remains colourless and prudish with some shrillness. Moving Vienese temperature brings Jasmine Sakr as the latest conquest of Graf Zedlau the simple girl from the lower class Pepi Pleininger. Some local Bavarian culture is imported into the story by two young angels dressed up in the traditional costume of leather trousers.   

Musical director of the evening is young Austrian Michael Brandstätter who pushes the Orchestra of the Gärtnerplatztheater into Vienese waltz athmosphere. Slowly the musicians loose German acurate temper and let the music dance and flow. The audience gets well entertained and laughs heartily. A big swinging applause at the end merits the vivid play and Vienese magic on the stage.

Helmut Pitsch

Photography © Christian Pogo Zach

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