Organization

Singer

Bass-baritone

Kai Wefer

The officer

Tenor

Gustavo Mordente Eda

Visitor

Stage director

Angelika Zacek

Conductor

Yuri Ilinov

Costume designer

Peter Lehmann

Set designer

Video designer

René Grüner

Dramaturge

Jannike Schulte

Sophie Jira

Theater Altenburg Gera

Orchestra

Philharmonisches Orchester Altenburg Gera

In the Penal Colony

Gera

Germany

Bühne am Park

Theaterzelt

Public

Approved

In der Strafkolonie · Interview · Theater Altenburg Gera

"The principle on which I decide is: there
is always no doubt about the guilt." Officer

A convict is to be killed. The executive organ is an officer who does not question traditional execution practices. The new commander of the penal colony has ordered a visitor to witness the execution. The officer meticulously describes the functioning of the execution apparatus to the visitor - idea, construction and finally the method. This method is the cruellest and most inhumane one can imagine. The officer explains all the details in a passionate and objective manner. He is convinced that the machine transforms the condemned; when he sees the reprehensibility of his offense, he regrets it. However, while awaiting his execution, the convict is unaware of his sentence or the type of punishment. The visitor is increasingly appalled by

Written in 1914, Franz Kafka's (1883-1924) story continues to fascinate today with its enormous variety of interpretations - historical, biographical, literary, legal, philosophical, religious ...

Philip Glass' (* 1937) congenial setting for two singers and a string quintet creates a very special musical atmosphere with the repetitions that are characteristic of him: the minimalist sounds dig into the flesh like the needles of the execution apparatus.

English

In the Penal Colony by Glass, From (2021/2022), Directed by Angelika Zacek,, Conductor Yuri Ilinov, Bühne am Park, Gera, Germany

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