Subotnik by Penderbayne, From (2024/2024), Directed by Theresa Von Halle, Neuköllner Oper, Berlin, Germany

A young German-Turkish woman studies law. The law should protect me, should protect everyone – this is the motivation for Seyma, who grew up in an environment characterised by patriarchal violence. In her first case as a defence lawyer, she takes on the defence of a suspected pimp and internationally wanted human trafficker. This brings her into a serious inner conflict when a witness turns up unannounced and describes the atrocities committed by her client against various women. Seyma wants to withdraw from the case. However, the judge forces her to continue with the case. After the defendant is convicted, Seyma appeals – as is expected of her as a defence lawyer – with a result that is difficult to communicate In the prize-winning work of the BERLINER OPERNPREIS 2022 by GASAG and Neuköllner Oper, the creative team Samuel Penderbayne and Theresa von Halle approach the multi-layered character of Seyma by having a singer, an actress and a pianist express the different sides of the protagonist. The one-act musical theatre piece SUBOTNIK, which premiered in June 2022, will now be performed again and expanded to include new texts on the subject of law and original statements by Berlin and Hamburg defence lawyers.