Rachel - The Musical
Rachel - The Musical is a music-dramatic work by Thomas Gabriel (music) and Johannes Maria Schatz (book & text) in two acts. The plot is a modern adaptation of the Pericope of the Three Wise Men found in Matthew's New Testament .
The musical was on the occasion of the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. for World Youth Day 2005 on 10 August 2005 in Trier under the patronage of Prime Minister Kurt Beck and Guillaume of Luxembourg premiered. With its 120-strong ensemble from nine countries, it is the largest youth musical production in the German-speaking region.
The music is a mixture of elements of jazz, rock, blues but also very classical, almost operatic arias. The addition of an accordion and cello to the rock instruments underlines this mixture. What is special about the libretto is that the songs switch between five different languages (English, French, Spanish, Italian and German). The musical is now available in a completely German version, which was premiered on September 6, 2007 in Brakel .
content
first act
In a dream of Rachel, the youngest daughter of the very rich Van Delpt family, three magicians come to King Herod and inquire about the place where the new King of the Jews is to be born. The scribes point to Bethlehem. Herod sneakily feigns a religious interest. May the magicians return to him so that he too may pay homage to the child. Rachel suddenly starts up from her dream. No, not back to Herod! Amelie Dunant, her wet nurse calms Rachel down and recognizes the Matthew story in a dream. However, Amelie is unable to interpret the small child and the strange fire, both also dream images. The next day, the landlord, José van Delpt, meets the young, aspiring real estate agent, Damian Gainsborough, who is interested in his properties in the poor district. As a smart businessman, José van Delpt wants to save taxes. For this reason, he agrees to the marriage of his youngest daughter Rachel to the real estate agent in an agreement among "gentlemen". His land in the poor district will then serve as a tax-saving wedding gift. Rachel seems blind to supposed love and dances carefree through the engagement party. The spurned older daughter Judith plans the first intrigues. Rachel has doubts about the connection when she meets her childhood friend, David Varton, at the cathedral. She leaves the place where she met and lost her thoughts in the poor district. Here she meets Jeanne, Damian's typist, and learns of her future husband's plans: The poor district is to be torn down to make way for a modern business district. The residents of the neighborhood and the joining David beg Rachel to stand up for their neighborhood with her father. At a later on-site visit in the poor district, Damian and his business partners are chased away by the residents. He seeks revenge. When Rachel asks him to pity the residents of the neighborhood, Damian drops his mask and mocks his fiancée at the breakfast table. In the meantime he finds more and more pleasure in the scheming Judith, who tells him about the rediscovered friendship with David. Meanwhile, strong resistance against the plans of the real estate agent Damian is forming in the poor district. The leaders of the resistance, David, Jeanne and the funny Simon, go underground. “Justice!” Demand the residents in the final scene of the first act.
Second act
Rachel and David secretly meet in the cathedral and admit their love for one another. Judith, who secretly observes everything, is already triumphant and suspects that Damian will be hers in the future. José van Delpt confronts Rachel and demands absolute loyalty to her future husband and family. For the first time, greed, cold-hearted calculation and misery break into Rachel's life, which deeply shakes her worldview and her faith. She seeks consolation from her wet nurse. Amelie encourages her to follow her inner star and to make her own way. When Rachel finally falls asleep exhausted, the former death soldiers of King Herod manifest themselves, thirsting for blood. Furious with greed and jealousy, Damian decides to start a fire in the poor district. By setting David's house on fire, he could get rid of the demolition costs of the slum and the tiresome rival in one fell swoop. Jeanne suspects Damian's devilish game and informs the van Delpt family. When Rachel arrives with the police in the poor district, a house is already ablaze.
The songs
1st act
- We have come
- toast
- Congratulate the happy couple
- Que dois-je faire (What do I have to do)
- Quién interrumpo mi rezo (who interrupts my prayer)
- Damian's plans
- Che cosa fa qui (who is that)
- What should become of us?
- Aiutaci (help us)
- Let go of worries
- Did you have fun (did you have fun)
- How funny
- What do you know
- You don't believe what I saw
- You don't scare us
- Justice (enough)
2nd act
- Kyrie
- Nothing is as it once was (nothing is as it once was)
- You can do it
- I finally get Damian
- Not to be endured
- How can you do this to us
- Darei tutto per lui (I would give my life for you)
- El mundo es tan frio (The world is so cold)
- The child murder
- the moon has risen
- Swing the broom
- Canals
- The child is alive
- hope
- The stars cry
- Pour l'adorer (pays homage to him)
Cast of the premiere
The world premiere took place on August 10, 2005 in the Arena Trier .
Rachel: Tanja Hamleh; David: Liborio Conti; Damian: Kurosch Abbasi; Judith: Sophie Becker; Simon: Björn Hilmers; Jeanne: Kristin Oettinger; José & Herodes: Bernd Hetjens; Lea: Barbara Bremm; Amelie: Bianca Spiegel.
Production: Johannes Maria Schatz; Production: Doris Schäfer; Musical direction: Thomas Gabriel; Choreography: Angel Blasco. Stage design: Martin Richerzhagen; Costume design: Ursula Zimmer & Ruth Gibbert; Make-up image: Nadine Wagner; Sound: Mathias Frey; Light design: Michael Weickenmeier.
Performance locations of the world premiere production
The world premiere production reached over 24,000 viewers in 16 shows.
- Germany : 10-14 August 2005, Arena Trier , Trier
- Germany : August 16-19, 2005, Palladium, Cologne
- Germany : September 30, 2005, Zell an der Mosel
- France : October 6, 2005, Metz
- Belgium : October 20, 2005, Eupen
- Luxembourg : October 21, 2005, Luxembourg
Awards
2005 Filippa's angel
Recordings
- CD studio production, 2005, Trier Cast, highlights
There is also a live DVD recording of the 2005 world premiere in three different line-ups.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ cf. Luxemburger Wort (PDF; 1.3 MB)
- ↑ cf. Rheinzeitung (PDF; 51 kB)
- ↑ cf. Neue Westfälische Zeitung (PDF; 4.1 MB)
- ↑ cf. Filippas Engel Foundation
- ↑ cf. Official website