N. N.
Operetta Research Center
21 October, 2021
The students of Leipzig’s Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Hochschule had planned to put on Offenbach’sUn Mari à la Porte / Ein Ehemann vor der Tür as a studio production in January and February 2021. Corona prevented that an outside audience could see it, it was only performed for people within the university during the lockdown. Now, a revival is open to everyone.
The interior of the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens during a performance of “Mari à la porte”, as depicted on the cover of a piano arrangement of the overture published by Heugel in Paris in 1859.
On October 28, 29 and 30 the Offenbach show can be seen at Hochschule für Musik und Theater (HMT) Leipzig, at Dittrichring 21. To be precise: in “Blackbox” (-1.33). You will see and hear performers from the “Fachrichtung Klassischer Gesang/Musiktheater,“ i.e. classical opera singers and not musical comedy students.
The student production of “Ein Ehemann vor der Tür” in Leipzig. (Photo: Jörg Singer)
It’s a staging by Ansgar Weigner. He says: “Like most of the composer’s one-act operettas this one is full of amusing situations. During the 40+ minutes the show lasts, every comedy twist is tried, and the surprising plot becomes more and more surreal. The four main characters are cartoonish, you will look in vain for any real psychological depth. But that’s the whole point.”
Offenbach’s “Ein Ehemann vor der Tür” as a studio production in Leipzig. (Photo: Jörg Singer)
Indeed, it is. Or, as Kurt Gänzl said about these early one-acters: “They were pieces that were written with a zany, Monty-Pythonesque type of burlesque humour, extravagantly – even ridiculously – funny. […] With music that was willing and eager to echo the crazy flavour of the story and fit the most madcap moments of the text.”
We’ll have to wait and see how much craziness and extravagance the HMT students dare to exhibit.
Tickets are 7,50 Euros.
For more information, click here.