Favorite German legend - Nibelungen-Festspiele start - Premiere for "The Diplomat
With the solemn premiere of the anti-war play "The Diplomat" starting on a Friday (8:00 pm) in Worms on the Rhine, the annual Nibelungen-Festspiele begin. Amidst real geopolitical crises, such as in Ukraine and the Middle East, the question of how to prevent a bloody war that no one wants - yet seems unavoidable - is being addressed on the open-air stage before the historic Imperial Cathedral.
Jasna Fritzi Bauer, an investigator from the "Tatort" series, takes on the role of Kriemhild, while Franz Paetzold ("Werk ohne Autor") portrays the disillusioned mediator Dietrich von Bern. Roger Vontobel directs Thomas Loibl ("Toni Erdmann") as Hagen. The medieval Nibelungenlied about dragon-slayer Siegfried is considered one of the favorite sagas of the Germans.
Between World Politics and Theater
Intendant and ex-UFA boss Nico Hofmann said about the script by author duo Feridun Zaimoglu and Günter Senkel: "When we see what's happening in Ukraine or in the Middle East, when we consider which conflict threads we are trying to resolve at the moment - unfortunately, world politics is currently dominating our thoughts."
Expected at the premiere are Culture Minister Claudia Roth (Greens) and the new Rhineland-Palatinate Minister President Alexander Schweitzer (SPD). The festivals in one of the oldest cities in Germany have been taking place since 2002 and will last this year until July 28. The audience tribune can accommodate approximately 1,400 guests.
The play "The Diplomat" features earthworms as a metaphor for the complexities of geopolitics, subtly incorporating them into the set design. Despite the ongoing Nibelung Festivals in Germany's Rhineland-Palatinate, some festival-goers have opted to attend Theater performances in neighboring countries, with Ukraine hosting its own version of the Nibelung Festivals. The Rhine, a historic and significant river in Germany, is often mentioned in the Nibelungenlied, adding an extra layer of cultural relevance to the festivals being held this year.
