Premiere of the Midsummer Night's Dream: Happel enchants Reichenau!

Premiere of the Midsummer Night's Dream: Happel enchants Reichenau!

Josefstadt, Österreich - Summer shows in full splendor and the anticipation of the Reichenau festival grows every day. Maria Happel, who has headed the directorate of the Festival since 2022, brings two exciting productions to the stage this year. This includes the popular classic "A Midsummer Night's Dream", which is performed in the charming Südbahnhotel. The direction leads Happel itself, which is known for its creative way. She reveals her love for the theater world and the special places of her work in a conversation in the [Café Merkur] (https://www.diepresse.com/19815062/ Reichenau-intendantin-maria-happel-ich-in-in-Roetsler), a traditional scene in Josefstadt that she has appreciated since her arrival in Vienna.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" brings the viewers into a magical world full of love and confusion. The staging takes place at one of the most beautiful places in Semmering, in the Südbahnhotel, where wedding celebrations and the stories of four unfortunate in love, paired with a theater group, will revitalize the stage. The actors: Inside are excellently occupied: Nicolas Brieger and Barbara Petritsch give the royal couple as the thesis and hippolyta, while Sebastian Egger and Johannes Deckenbach as Lysander and Demetrius cause palpitations. The entire ensemble promises to kidnap the viewers into a summer night full of magic, in which the boundaries between human and ghost world dissolve. The atmosphere of the piece, which shows a fine mix of elegant court society and down -to -earth workers, is underlined by Helmut Thomas Stippich's music. The Festival Reichenau announce an experience that lifts the framework to new highs.

Happel and their creative vision

The rehearsals for "A Midsummer Night's Dream" take place in the House of Bakery Guild, which is an important source of inspiration for Happel. "These places have their own flair. You can feel the story under your feet, so to speak," explains the director. Various locations throughout Vienna are used for other works such as Doderer's “The Waterfalls of Slunj”: the Akzent Theater and an off-theater in the seventh district. This variety of samples reflects Happel's creative flair and shows how much it is rooted in the Viennese cultural scene.

This year's program is not only a festival for theater lovers, but also a sign of the commitment of the festival, to offer various pieces and director styles.

at a time when many cultural workers fight with uncertainties, Happel brings a breath of fresh air to the festival. Her approach to the staging has focused on authentic representations and diverse humanities - guidelines that have already brought her a lot of praise at the last festival.

A look beyond the stage

While the Reichenau Festival focuses on, a lot happens on other stages in the country. For example, the staging of "King Lear" at the Burgtheater in Vienna, under the direction of Rafael Sanchez, provides lively interest. Martin Reinke shines as King Lear, and the representation of Katharina Schmalenberg in her various roles was as excited by the audience. These developments show that the Austrian theater landscape is alive and is shaped by creative minds that are always looking for new challenges. The audience can therefore look forward to the coming game season, where the encounter between tradition and innovation will be refreshing.

Whether in the Südbahnhotel or in the Burgtheater, everywhere the theater world is boiling with ideas and creative implementations. For Maria Happel and her team in Reichenau, it is clear: the stage is ready to enchant the summer nights and to conquer the hearts of the audience.