Every year, people come from far and wide to see the 70 steps of Erfurt Cathedral transformed into a stunning outdoor stage. This year there were 15 performances of ‘Der Freischütz’ (The Marksman), an opera by Carl Maria von Weber, on the cathedral steps in the evenings. Morning performances of ‘The Jungle Book’ attracted around 5,000 children and grown-ups. The two events were 99.9 percent sold out – a new record for the outdoor event.
In all, 35,000 tickets were sold, and there were very few free seats in the bleachers that held the 2,000 patrons each time. Due to the unprecedented demand, tickets for ‘standing places’ were sold for the final day’s performances for the first time ever. Director Guy Montavon staged the French version of the opera, with recitatives by Hector Berlioz, giving von Weber’s work entirely new, surprising components. Complemented by a stunning play of colors, the open-air performance created an eerily beautiful atmosphere that really took spectators’ breath away.
Next year’s summer opera will be Puccini’s ‘Tosca’. A whiff of Italian enchantment is already in the air and pre-sales of tickets have begun. (td)
