The story of Princess Sissi is widely circulated around the world. In addition to the classic image created by Romy Schneider on the screen, I have to mention the German musical "Elizabeth". "Elizabeth" is the real name of Princess Sissi. In the 32 years since its birth, this mus

The story of Princess Sissi is widely circulated around the world. In addition to the classic image created by Romy Schneider on the screen, I have to mention the German musical "Elizabeth". "Elizabeth" is the real name of Princess Sissi. In the 32 years since its birth, this musical has traveled to 14 countries around the world, has 10 language versions, more than 9,000 performances, and attracted more than 12 million viewers.

In 2014, the original German musical "Elizabeth" came to China for the first time as the year-end drama of the Cultural Square. It was performed for 40 consecutive performances and became the "White Moonlight" in the minds of many musical fans. After an absence of ten years, "Elizabeth" returns as a newly produced musical version of the concert, which will be performed for 21 consecutive performances at the Cultural Plaza from August 29 to September 15. Backed by the orchestra, nearly 30 actors and dancers in costumes performed 39 golden songs to interpret the legend of "Sissi" life.

Elizabeth is played by Dutch musical actor Annemieke van Dam. She has performed "Elizabeth" in 18 cities in 5 countries and in 3 languages. On the night of the premiere, the nearly eighty-year-old composer Sylvester Reeves with white hair also appeared on the stage and conducted the widely circulated golden song "I Only Belong to Me" as a tribute to Shanghai. A special gift for the audience.

Concert scene of the musical version of "Elizabeth"

Composer Sylvester Reeves, who was nearly eighty years old, took the stage to conduct

Why Shanghai audiences like German musicals

In recent years, Shanghai audiences have been looking forward to the return of "Elizabeth". Uninterrupted, why is this German musical so unforgettable among Shanghai audiences?

When asked why "Elizabeth" was chosen as the title of the play instead of the more commonly known name "Sissi", playwright Michel Kunze replied: "Because I am interested in Sissi as an adult. This is the story of a woman fighting for the life she wants. "

Returning to Shanghai after five years, Sylvester Revie felt that this city was very friendly. "I came here with my son. Shanghai is a very open and friendly city. You can start chatting with anyone on the street, which feels very good. What moved me even more was the Shanghai audience's response to Love of "Elizabeth."

Before the performance, Levi cheered everyone up

A sense of ritual before the performance

Before writing "Elizabeth," Levi composed pop music and film music, and gained career development in Hollywood. With Kunze's persuasion, he returned to Austria and joined the creation of the musical. "From my experience in film music, I learned how to use music to shape characters and create drama, which greatly helped the creation of "Elizabeth." "Music is my life, and our creative principle is to hope that the audience will leave. Entering the theater is like experiencing these stories and emotions in person, and you will take something away with you when the show ends. ”

Thanks to the rich music and drama heritage of the German and Austrian regions, German musicals never lack of atmospheric and refined melodies and delicacy. Tactful expression. Since 2014, the Cultural Plaza has introduced "Elizabeth" and "Mozart!" " and other classic German musicals, and has established a solid German musical audience base in Shanghai and even across the country with a series of "German Musical Star Concerts".

Since 2019, the concert version of "Elizabeth" has been held four times at Schönbrunn Palace Square in Vienna, attracting more than 100,000 audiences from all over the world every year. This performance in Shanghai is an upgraded version of the Schönbrunn Palace concert for thousands of people. It is jointly produced by the Austrian Union Theater of Vienna and the Danish Lion Entertainment, the producers of the original musical, and has its world premiere in Shanghai. Audience member Zhao Yue said: "It's finally here! Although it's a concert version, the stage design and costumes are very exquisite, and the actors' performances are also very moving. The song "I Only Belong to Me" makes people cry."

"Elizabeth" Musical version concert scene

Play a role 1,000 times, and there are still new discoveries

"Elizabeth" shows Princess Sissi's transformation from a girl to a wife and a mother: 15-year-old Sissi and Fran Emperor Ci fell in love at first sight and accidentally entered into a royal marriage. After getting married, she was bound by palace etiquette, and the empress dowager's discipline also made her miserable. After a few years, she finally awakened and gradually became involved in political affairs. , the god of death who has been with her since she was young appears again, constantly tempting her to go into the dark world and seek eternal freedom.

Anne Michael, who plays Elizabeth, first heard the music of "Elizabeth" when she was 14 years old. , first played this role when she was 22 years old, and now she is 42 years old and a mother of two children. "It used to be difficult for me to play the elderly Elizabeth, but now it has become easier. Not only the body and eyes, but also the change of timbre from bright to deep to shape Elizabeth's growth. The Elizabeth I play when I am 22 years old and when I am 42 years old is different. This character has accompanied my growth. I continue to learn from her and find the balance point of my life. "

Elizabeth's Growth

This is Annemie's first visit to China. Although she has performed "Elizabeth" for more than 1,000 performances, every time the curtain opens and the music sounds, Annemie always feels like she has embarked on a new journey. “This journey is different every time. There are always new discoveries and new experiences. It’s like not knowing where the end of the journey is. ”

German musical star Mark Seiber, who collaborated with Anne Michael in the 20th anniversary performance of "Elizabeth" in 2012, and came to Shanghai to perform in "Elizabeth" in 2014 and "Mozart!" in 2016 Te will also return to play "Death" in some performances in September.

From November to December this year, the German musical classic "Butterfly Dream" will also be completed by Kunze and Levi, two masters of German and Austrian musical theater. ", as well as the German musical masterpiece "Ludwig II: The Return of the King" which tells the legendary life of the "Fairytale King", will also make its debut on the Chinese stage in the form of a musical version of the concert. Fei Yuan, Deputy General Manager of Shanghai Cultural Plaza. Hong said: “We hope to present more wonderful musicals of different types, styles and countries to Shanghai.”