After a long drought, there was finally nationwide rain in the Northeast. Not everyone was happy on Friday: the premiere of the opera "Carmen" had to be canceled shortly before the end. The good thing about it: Carmen stayed alive for now.
Neustrelitz (dpa/mv) - Bumpy start for the 2022 open-air festival at the Neustrelitz Castle Garden: The premiere of the opera classic "Carmen" had to be canceled on Friday evening due to repeated rain showers in the middle of the last act. Previously, rain had already caused three extra breaks, during which water had to be transported from the opulently designed stage of the Theater und Orchester GmbH Neubrandenburg/Neustrelitz. Despite the weather-related problems, around 700 spectators celebrated the almost three-hour performance, which also had dry phases, with a lot of applause and a strong final applause.
The director took the weather problems calmly. "You saw the first performance in which Carmen stays alive," said Müller, which was also acknowledged by the audience with applause. In the opera by Georges Bizet, the fiery Spaniard Carmen seduces a soldier, but later wants to leave him again. The soldier goes to jail for her and takes on many other things as well.
When Carmen wants to leave him later, he kills her - but only in the last picture of the last act, which fell victim to the rain at the premiere. In the leading roles, the mezzo-soprano Jana Markovic and the tenor Bernd Könnes shone with their voices and very moving scenes.
The Neustrelitz performance with almost 40 singers, actors and dancers is directed by the French Marc Adam. 13 performances are planned until July 23. The next performances are planned for this Saturday and Sunday.
The Neustrelitzers can already look back on more than 20 years of open-air theater tradition. Before the Corona period, up to 14,000 guests were counted at the festival, which is always planned in July. The GmbH is one of four major theaters in the Northeast. The venue on the Schlossberg can hold around 1300 spectators.
The long-awaited rain after a long drought in many parts of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania also prevented the start of the Darß Festival in Born in the adventure series "Die Heiden von Kummerow" on Friday. The organizers postponed their premiere to this Saturday. Then there should be the first episode of "Der Freischütz".
This Saturday, the medieval Müritz saga in Waren an der Müritz will also have its season premiere with the play "Des Teufels Schergen".
