Novel "Rummelplatz" comes to the opera stage - in slow motion

The Theater Chemnitz is immersing itself in the early years of the GDR with a major opera project. Specifically, it is about the working and living environment of miners who extracted uranium from the earth for the nuclear arms race and risked their health in the process. It is based on Werner Bräunig's posthumously published novel "Rummelplatz", which author Jenny Erpenbeck and composer Ludger Vollmer have adapted for the opera stage. This opera is the flagship of the theater in the Capital of Culture year, said General Director Christoph Dittrich.

She had only read the book when she received the request for the libretto, admitted the multiple award-winning author Erpenbeck ("Kairos"). But the first page had already touched her deeply. She was thrilled by the musicality of the language and the strong images. She used plenty of original text by Bräunig in the libretto. It is about young people who have come into contact with death and destruction, explained Vollmer. They create places where they begin to dream, where their lives become light.

Premiere on September 20

The opera impresses with its high narrative and musical tempo, said General Music Director Benjamin Reiners. Almost the entire ensemble will be involved in the production, including the opera and children's choir. However, it is not intended to be a historical narrative, emphasized director Frank Hilbrich. "We have decided to perform the entire opera in slow motion." This is intended to allow the audience to feel the characters, engage with them and question their motivations.

Preparations for the opera project reportedly go back several years. Rehearsals have been underway since the beginning of the month and the premiere is scheduled for September 20.