From the spirit of Christmas

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Musical dates
Title: From the spirit of Christmas
Original language: German
Music: Dirk Michael Steffan , Guildo Horn
Book: Michael bag
Literary source: Charles Dickens
Premiere: November 23, 2001
Place of premiere: TheatrO CentrO
in Oberhausen
Place and time of the action: London mid 19th century
Roles / people
  • Ebenezer Scrooge
  • Jacob Marley
  • Angel / Belle
  • Mr. Cratchit
  • Mrs. Cratchit
  • Mrs. Pillbox
  • Mrs. Fezziwig
  • Mrs. Shellcock
  • Mr. Fezziwig
  • Mr. Beavis
  • Young Scrooge
  • Mr. Butthead
  • Young Marley
  • Thimmy
  • Mr. Highprice
  • Mr. Betsy
  • Mr. Lowprice
  • Mr. Kent
  • Mrs. Pommeroy
  • Liz Pommeroy

Vom Geist der Weihnacht is a musical by the German composer Dirk Michael Steffan , based on Charles Dickens ' A Christmas Carol .

Production history

The musical premiered in November 2001 at TheatrO CentrO in Oberhausen at Christmas time with 47 shows. The main roles were played by Kristian Vetter as Scrooge, Peter Trautwein as Marley and Judith Hildebrandt as the Christmas angel. In 2002 in November and December around 120 parallel performances took place in the Cologne Musical Dome and in the Berlin Theater des Westens . The main role of Scrooge was cast in Berlin with Ethan Freeman and in Cologne with Tom Zahner, Peter Trautwein as Marley in Cologne and Monika-Julia Dehnert as angel in both cities. The role of Catherine Dickens alternately took over Kim Fisher and Judith Hildebrandt. In 2003 the piece was performed again in Oberhausen, with Jeroen Phaff as Scrooge, Guildo Horn as Marley and Sanni Luis and Monika-Julia Dehnert as Engel. There was also a parallel performance in the auditorium of Messe München with Jan Gebauer in the role of Scrooge, Peter Trautwein as ghost Marley and Judith Hildebrandt as angel. A total of around 350,000 spectators attended these performances.

In 2006 the musical was performed in the Schillertheater in Berlin in the lead role of Scrooge with Kristian Vetter and alternating with Chris Murray , the Marley played here again by Peter Trautwein and the angel played by Maricel . In 2007 there was another performance at two locations, such as the Theater am Marientor in Duisburg and the Musicalpalast in Frankfurt am Main . The cast in Frankfurt consisted of James Sbano as Scrooge, Peter Trautwein as Marley and Ina Nadine Wagler as Engel and in Duisburg with Felix Martin as Scrooge, Werner Bauer as Marley and Jasmin Wagner, who appeared for the first time in a musical, as an angel.

An English translation of the musical was created in 2008 by the American theater director Craig Simmons in collaboration with Dirk Michael Steffan; the first English-language performances were planned for 2010, including in London.

In 2009 the play was performed in the Capitol Theater (Düsseldorf) . Here the Scrooge was again cast with Kristian Vetter, the Geist Marley again with Werner Bauer and the Engel with Patricia Kelly . In 2010 the musical played again in Cologne, with Chris Murray as Scrooge, Ron Holzschuh as Marley and Sandy Mölling as Engel. In 2011 it was played again at two locations, in the Deutsches Theater in Munich and in the Alte Oper in Frankfurt. Cousin as Scrooge, Bauer as Marley and Mölling as Engel once again starred on stage.

In 2012 there was a guest performance at the Colosseum Theater in Essen for the first time . The main roles were played by Vetter as Scrooge, Klaus Seiffert as Marley and LaFee as Engel. In 2013, the three main characters Stefanie Hertel (Engel), Kristian Vetter (Scrooge) and Peter Trautwein played Marley in the Düsseldorf Capitol Theater . In 2014 the musical was performed for the first time as part of a tour, with Felix Martin (Scrooge), Jeanette Biedermann (Engel) and Mathias Schlung (Marley) playing the main roles .

In 2015 the musical made another guest appearance in Oberhausen. The leading roles were played by Felix Martin (Scrooge), Annemarie Eilfeld (Engel) and Ron Holzschuh (Marley). In 2016 the musical was performed for the second time in Duisburg. The male lead roles were first cast with Nigel Casey (Scrooge) and Andreas Wolfram (Marley). Annemarie Eilfeld plays the role of angel for the second time. In December 2016 the musical will be performed in the Sartory halls in Cologne.

content

On Christmas Eve Scrooge receives a visit from his friend and business partner Jakob Marley, who has been dead for 20 years. He lives as an unredeemed spirit between heaven and earth with the task of making Scrooge a better person. A seemingly hopeless endeavor, until suddenly a mysterious angel appears, who takes the two on a journey through time. Scrooge encounters himself during this journey through the various stages of his own life, it is like looking in the mirror. In the end, he experiences a miraculous encounter that changes his life forever. Only now does he understand the real meaning of Christmas. He learns to believe in love again and in the end celebrates Christmas properly for the first time in his life - together with all those he used to despise.

CD recordings

  • 2002: Album for the world premiere at the TheatrO CentrO in Oberhausen
  • 2010: Album from the Musical Dome in Cologne

DVD publications

The first DVD was released in 2002 on the occasion of the world premiere at TheatrO CentrO in Oberhausen. Kristian Vetter (Scrooge), Judith Hildebrandt (Belle / Engel) and Peter Trautwein (Marley) played. The second DVD was recorded in 2009 at the Capitol Theater in Düsseldorf. Kristian Vetter (Scrooge), Patricia Kelly (Engel) and Werner Bauer (Marley) played in this.

Song sequence

  • Overture I.
  • On Christmas Eve
  • I am a ghost
  • Everyone has the right to be lucky
  • Christmas is rat shit
  • Christmas, Christmas I
  • Forged in chains
  • Mirror of Time (since 2013)
  • follow me
  • Just a little thing
  • Fezziwig's dance
  • For a lifetime I
  • What have I done
  • Overture II
  • Oops, we're sorry
  • Song of an angel
  • Scrooge, wake up at last
  • High in the sky
  • This night should never end
  • Like a wonder
  • For a lifetime II
  • We are all angels
  • A new life
  • Christmas, Christmas II - Finale
  • Mega-Mix - encore

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Andreas Kurtz: Escape from the encore. Berliner Zeitung, November 13, 2002, accessed on August 19, 2017 .
  2. derwesten.de: Christmas musical is looking for young actors for Oberhausen
  3. "From the Spirit of Christmas" will be guest again in Duisburg