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Bad Pyrmont: Association produces opera film for the city anniversary | NDR.de – Culture – Music

Status: 23.03.2021 2:01 p.m.

The thriller chamber opera “Das Knabenherz von Pyrmont” reminds us that Bad Pyrmont was once the fashion health resort in Europe. Kings and princes, poets and thinkers once strolled along the avenues.


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by Wilhelm Purk

The spa town actually wanted to remember the glamorous times last year for the 300th anniversary of the city. But Corona ruined almost everything. However, a small cultural association has not let itself get down. As one of the few projects for the city anniversary, the Pyrmonter Salon Association an opera is produced: a thriller, a criminal case with historical references – “The Boy Heart of Pyrmont”.

Mezzo-soprano Luisa Islam-Ali-Zade as a fortune teller

In 1812 a child is the victim of a bloody act. A spa guest who has gambled away all his belongings in the casino injures the boy with a knife, tempted to act by a fortune teller who told him that he must carry the heart of a child with him and then happiness would return. The man is arrested and sentenced to imprisonment.

After 20 years he was pardoned and returned to Bad Pyrmont to ask his former victim for forgiveness. Luisa Islam-Ali-Zade, the chairwoman of the Pyrmonter Salon association, prepared the historical material for the opera. The mezzo-soprano also plays a part: in the role of the fortune teller.

“The Boy Heart of Pyrmont” now as a film

The public performance of the opera was to be one of the highlights of the Pyrmont city anniversary last year. But now it had to be improvised. “Of course we had to do something. We thought we would make a film with the most beautiful places in Bad Pyrmont because it all happened in Pyrmont. We are showing our beautiful city,” says Luisa Islam-Ali-Zade.

Mayor Klaus Blome also has a role

Many Pyrmonters took part in the recordings. Some have opened their private homes to the film crew. The Mayor of Pyrmont, Klaus Blome, also has a small role. “There were always guests in the Kurpark who looked interested and who sometimes walked through the picture – and we had to start over,” says Blome. “The whole recording was an adventure. I’m really excited about the end product.”

Frank Maier from the Pyrmonter Salon produced the film. He thanks everyone who participated – especially the mayor. Not only did he play along, he also took on a few additional tasks. “For example, he had to organize two police officers for us to play the arrest scene,” says Frank Maier. “A lot of people have said: an impossible thing, you can’t do that. But Mr Blohme said spontaneously: I’ll take part and I’ll get you the two policemen. And: said, done.” So the criminal is arrested and taken away by two real officers from the Pyrmont Police Department.

Not everyone could be paid a fee

Luisa Islam-Ali-Zade as a fortune teller sitting on the pavement © Frank Meyer / Pyrmonter Salon

Mezzo-soprano Luisa Islam-Ali-Zade plays the fortune teller in the opera film.

The project was only possible for the small club, says producer Maier, because not everyone had to be paid a fee. The excellent contacts of the association chairwoman Luisa Islam-Ali-Zade are particularly valuable. The association has benefited from this for a long time. “She is recognized as a very renowned opera singer who has seen many stages around the world. And she works for free. She also has a gigantic network of friends, patrons and friends of the family who perform for us for an apple and egg. We have here We had world stars like Hermine May, who sang at La Scala. They do it out of joy in the cause and out of friendship for Luisa, “says Meyer.

The 50-minute film, which shows “Das Knabenherz von Pyrmont”, a chamber opera in five pictures, is distributed on CD and Blu-ray Disc by the Pyrmonter Salon association.

This topic in the program:

NDR culture | Classic on the move | 03/23/2021 | 3:20 pm


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