The musical classic “West Side Story” and the artistic director’s debut by Alfons Haider attracted numerous celebrities to the premiere of this year’s Seefestspiele.
–
–
The “West Side Story” is one of the great musical classics and can be experienced for the first time this year on the Mörbisch floating stage. The premiere took place on Thursday evening on the floating stage.
The gripping plot about two rival gangs in New York in the 1950s and a great Romeo and Juliet love story that unfolds between Tony and Maria has captivated an audience of millions since its premiere in 1957. And rightly so: Leonard Bernstein’s fantastic music and the many great songs such as “Maria”, “Tonight”, “Somewhere”, “I feel pretty” or “Mambo” also took the premiere audience by storm.
Big city flair in Burgenland
The singing is in English, the dialogues are in German and a young ensemble brings them to the lake stage in a thrilling way. With Werner Sobotka an extremely experienced musical director has been won. The set was designed by Walter Vogelweider, who recently had great success in Mörbisch with “The Land of Smiles”. The leading team is completed by Karin Fritz, who has already provided Countess Mariza with gorgeous costumes, Guido Mancusi, who is taking over the musical direction in Mörbisch for the second time, and Jonathan Huor, in whose hands the choreography lies.
At the glorious premiere on Thursday evening, Paul Schweinester played “Tony”, while “Maria” took on the female lead Slovenian soprano Andreja Zidarič. The role “Riff” was given by Fin Holzwart, Paul Csitkovits is cast as “Bernardo”, while Tamara Pascula played “Anita”.
“We put New York on the floating stage! Right up to the Statue of Liberty, everything you want when you think of Manhattan is there,” agree Werner Sobotka and Walter Vogelweider.
The acting general manager Peter Edelmann recently got a general manager at his side, who is now in charge of the cultural fortunes of Burgenland. The struggles for positioning over the management of the operetta mecca seem to have flared up like in the plot of the “West Side Story”, in which two rival gangs fight one catchy tune after the other. If Edelmann had planned the “Merry Widow” for the next year, Haider seems to assert himself with the musical “The King And I”.
An overjoyed crowd of guests
On the evening of the premiere, among others, Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler, Governor Hans Peter Doskozil, Ex-Governor Hans Niessl, Ex-Federal Chancellor Franz Vranitzky, Ex-Greens boss Eva Glawischnig, Hans Arsenovic Artistic Director Peter Edelmann, presenter Volker Piesczek, Miss Vienna enjoyed the high pleasure of culture Beatrice Körmer, cathedral pastor Toni Faber, “Mr. Wunderbar” Harald Serafin with his wife Ingeborg, Daniel Serafin, director Konstanze Breitebner, Richard Lugner with friend Simone Reiländer, Actor Albert Fortell, European minister Karoline Edtstadler, “Wiener Metropol” boss Peter Hofbauer, presenter Vera Russwurm, life ball inventor Gery Keszler, presenter Dorian Steidl, Hannes Androsch, Christian Neuhold, singer Patrizia Nessy, actress Konstanze Breitebner, actor Albert Fortell, comedian Ciro de Luca, manager Friedrich Rödler, musical star Maya Hakvoort, actor Ramesh Nair, opera star Clemens Unterreiner, presenter Teresa Vogl, presenter Julia Furdea with husband Christian, photographer Johannes Ifkovits with wife Evelyn Rillé, opus singer Ewald Pfleger, Musical actors Gernot Kranner, Oliver Arno, Martin Pasching, Hans Kreuzmayr alias Waterloo, singer Stella Kranner, presenter and dancer Conny Kreuter and many more.
Impressions of the premiere of “West Side Story” in Mörbisch can be found here and here.
www.seefestspiele-moerbisch.at
– .
