Heinrich Spängler Helga Rabl-Stadler Entführung Masterpiece Don Carlo La Clemenza di Tito L'Upupa Don Giovanni Operatic Phantom Samson et Dalila Egon Wellesz Everyman Andrea Breth Peer Gynt Woyzeck The concerts Salzburg Passages Rudolf Hradil

FEAR OF THE VOID

In the midst of the festivities Everyman finds himself alone

Nowadays Jedermann (Everyman) has to be seen with different eyes. Fear of the void, fear of death – that is the subject today. Man has to allow himself to be redeemed. He cannot redeem himself. Hofmannsthal takes as his starting-point the Catholic Counter Reformation: man is redeemed and should also do his part by carrying out good deeds. This is no longer the position nowadays. Nevertheless it is still justified to perform Jedermann because it deals with man’s fear of death.

Death also sits at the table

Stage-director Christian Stückl moves the stage closer to the cathedral. Jedermann holds his festivities in front of the cathedral, he can afford to do so. The banquet is the central point of the play and suddenly Death is sitting there too at the table. Jedermann thinks he can buy the whole world.
But all at once he finds himself alone. This is when it gets exciting. How will Jedermann deal with this experience?

In some parts it will be difficult, says Stückl. For instance, someone is sitting there who claims to be Death. Stückl does not set out deliberately to do something different. He has difficulties with the roles of Good Deeds and Faith. The definite demand to believe is not easy. We find it difficult to understand the belief in redemption. But everyone is afraid that it might be damp and dark in the grave. Towards the end of the play it becomes increasingly difficult. There is a fear that it really could be the end but there is also hope that not everything has come to an end.

Werner Thuswaldner

Extract from an article in the Salzburger Nachrichten, 27.7.2002

Rudolf Hradil, Trakl House from the River Salzach, 1986

Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Jedermann

Stage director Christian Stückl
Sets and costumes Marlene Poley
Music Markus Zwink

Gott der Herr Hans-Michael Rehberg
Tod Jens Harzer
Teufel Tobias Moretti
Jedermann Peter Simonischek
Jedermanns Mutter Jennifer Minetti
Jedermanns guter Gesell Tobias Moretti
Ein armer Nachbar Hans-Michael Rehberg
Ein Schuldknecht Anton Burkhart
Des Schuldknechts Weib Susanne Schäfer
Buhlschaft Veronica Ferres
Der Hausvogt Johann Christof Wehrs
Der Koch Georg Reiter
Dicker Vetter Oswald Fuchs
Dünner Vetter Achim Buch
Mammon Florian Stetter
Gute Werke Elisabeth Rath
Glaube Sunnyi Melles
Knecht Gerald Koblinger
Die Spielansager Riederinger Kinder · Ars Antiqua Austria

Domplatz

26 July, 1, 4, 5, 6, 12, 20, 26, 28, 29 and 31 August 2003

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