German première

»Schwanengesang« (»Swan song«) is both the title of a song as well as the name of a collection of 14 songs by the composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828). But the term is also a synonym for apocalyptic mood and the melancholy of parting.

No one who knows the Italian director Romeo Castellucci will expect a »normal« song recital. However, the Swedish soprano Kerstin Avemo and the pianist Alain Franco from Brussels first interpret well-known songs such as »Auf dem Wasser zu singen« (»To sing on the water«), »Die Mainacht« (»The may night«) and also »Schwanengesang« (»Swan song«) as a harmonious concert. The tension, mistrust and despair in this world of beauty come later. The French performer Valérie Dréville replaces the singer and the piece takes a striking turn …

Romeo Castellucci, born in 1960 in Cesena near Bologna, is one of the most important and influential directors working in contemporary European theatre. His pieces combine spoken word and physical theatre, music, opera, painting, worlds of images and new technologies. He founded the company Socìetas Raffaello Sanzio in 1981 with which he has created numerous pieces that have toured around the world.

The company was already repeatedly invited to euro-scene Leipzig, such as with »Giulio Cesare« (»Julius Caesar«, 1997), »Voyage au bout de la nuit« (»Journey to the end of the night«, 2000), »Buchettino« (»Tom thumb«, 2005), »Hey girl!« (2007) and »Sul concetto di volto nel figlio di Dio« (»On the concept of the face, regarding the son of God«, 2012).