“The 7 Deadly Sins”: Hell Theater in the Volksbühne

From Johannes Schmitz

Right at the beginning, the audience is surrounded, with a demonic male choir positioned on the sides. On stage, five members of the ensemble between 142 choir singers and the 60-piece orchestra of the Berlin Chamber Symphony. The Volksbühne is full in every sense. Premiere sold out!

Adalbert Goldschmidt’s work has long been forgotten, but Christian Filips is bringing it back to the stage with Sophie Rois, who embodies the prince of darkness and the author himself. The framework for the music oratorio takes place in the Großenwahn coffee house in an illustrious circle.

The Prince of Darkness (Sophie Rois), Theodor Herzl (Ariel Nil Levy), a Paris Communard (Margarita Breitkreiz) and Richard Wagner’s daughter (Susanne Bredehöft) become entangled in ideological discussions. Between them is a skeleton with a Wagner cap, the ghost of Richard Wagner hovers over the piece as a recurring theme.