Image: Reinhard Winkler
It was a start with a wink, in which the ensemble made one thing clear: At the concert “BÄM!” For the 10th anniversary of the Landestheater’s musical division, it’s – of course – all about the musical.
“Today we laugh” (from “The spinners, the Romans!”) A new text was missed on Saturday, which immediately said: “There is no opera and dance today, the drama is also tight” and “instead of heavy fare there will be music, and OÖN, no criticism today”.
As tempting as the light-footed offer (choreography: Hannah M. Paul) was, it’s easy to turn down: Words of praise are rarely a burden. The birthday format, conceived by division head Matthias Davids and Tom Bitterlich (musical director), is like the fulfillment of a wish that every musical fan secretly cherishes: crackers en suite that set the heart, mind and body vibrating.
However, what often becomes pandering, because bombastic things that you know work (like ensemble songs with a pull) move effortlessly, came across differently in music theater: more approachable, with a “fourth wall” that you tore down (director: Cecilia Ward; dramaturgy, texts: Arne Beeker).
Led by founding member and master of ceremonies Daniela Dett, the audience was made the “star” of the show, who was breathed into life with stories, balance sheets and projected images. The history of the division, the people and a best-of of the productions became the common thread.
This small, yet big world reflected the nature of their diverse genre: solos, duets, ensemble numbers, carried by well-oiled, flexible orchestras, in this case the Bruckner Orchestra and the Landestheater Choir.
Joel Parnis, Christian Fröhlich and Gernot Romic touched every nostalgic with “S’Wonderful” (“An American in Paris”). Lukas Sandmann impressed with the hard, socially critical numbers from “Next to Normal”, while Hanna Kastner did the same with “The World I Never Saw” (“Sister Act”), but more tenderly. With Rob Pelzer, a former member of the ensemble delighted as a smart passepartout in “School of Seducers” from “Around the World in 80 Days”. Another guest star from the past, Lisa Antoni, gave goosebumps with “Gabriella’s Song” (from “Wie im Himmel”).
The strongest emotions were generated by the community on stage – as in “Make it whole, the story” (“The Hare with the Amber Eyes”), in which all 30 previous ensemble members can be experienced, and in the medley from “Les Miserables” (2014). It was all there again, the magic from the beginning, when the musical really came to Upper Austria.
Source: Nachrichten
