Easter story in Kassel: RTL-Jesus not yet known
The Jesus musical TV spectacle "The Passion" will be performed in a German city for a second time. After Essen in 2022, it will be Kassel's turn in 2024. In 2023, the production was canceled. RTL is now daring to stage the big outdoor event again and wants to present another modern telling of the central Christian Easter message - "in the spirit of solidarity and charity".
"The Passion - The Greatest Story of All Time" is to stage the last days in the life of Jesus Christ on a "spectacular" stage and transport them into the present day with pop songs. The Hessian city of Kassel, with a population of around 200,000, has been known for decades for hosting the documenta art exhibition.
RTL kept the most important personal details to itself on Monday: Who will play Jesus? Instead, another name was revealed. Actor Hannes Jaenicke (63) will act as the narrator - in 2022 it was entertainer Thomas Gottschalk. The exact date of the broadcast is also not yet known.
Back then in Essen, singer, musical performer and former "Deutschland sucht den Superstar" winner Alexander Klaws took on the role of Jesus. He stood at a currywurst stand, his Jesus disciples and followers strolled through a shopping center, the group took public transport. Hundreds of people were filmed from above carrying a giant illuminated cross across Essen. In individual episodes, the narrator read out the central scenes of the Passion. At the end, the resurrection was shown.
The new "Passion" narrator Jaenicke, who is also an environmental activist, was quoted in the RTL press release as saying: "In times of increasing historical amnesia, lack of education and the fact that a strong gift culture seems to predominate at festivals such as Christmas and Easter today, I find it important to occasionally remind people of the foundations of our Christian-Jewish history." He thinks the idea of performing the Passion story live and in a contemporary way is excellent.
Like so many entertainment formats, "The Passion" has been established in the Netherlands for much longer. According to RTL, the format has been one of the most successful live TV events there for over 13 years.
It is not known how much RTL Germany will have to spend on the spectacle. RTL and RTL+ Program Director, Inga Leschek, announced that "Passion" attracted more than three million viewers during its first broadcast in Essen. There was much discussion online about the format and the direction. Leschek continued: "We are looking forward to this extraordinary live music event in the spirit of solidarity and charity at Easter 2024."
Source: www.dpa.com
