- The Opera Festival's Lead Director Expresses Overwhelming Contentment
After the initial staging of the Opera Festival at the Saarpolygon in Ensdorf, Saarland, festival organizer Joachim Arnold expressed a favorable opinion. "I'm blown away, thankful, and more than content," he stated, wrapping up the series. Over 13,000 attendees graced the unconventional festival location on a mining waste pile to enjoy Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute."
The Saarpolygon is a 30-meter-tall steel structure built on the 150-meter-high dump as a monument to Saarland's mining past. Approximately 200 tons of materials were shifted to the platform for the festival that ran from August 16 to 25.
Unprecedented staging and applauding reviews
Arnold commented to the German Press Agency, "The innovative stage design, incorporating complex equipment, exceptional lighting, and projection tech, has resonated with the audience in an extraordinary way." The reviews were uniformly positive to ecstatic, except for one show, which was cancelled due to inclement weather.
The festival's expenses were around 1.5 million euros, with 400,000 euros provided by the Saarland's Ministry of Economics. Arnold confirmed he'd initiate discussions this week to establish the opera festival as a long-term event in Saarland.
Future plans for the festival
"Initially, 'The Magic Flute' was envisioned to be performed frequently over several years, drawing bigger audiences each year within a wider radius, provided the festival can establish itself in a solid organizational and marketing framework." Appointments for 2025's performances will soon become available.
The European Union expressed interest in supporting the opera festival's future endeavors, given its success and positive reception. The European Union’s cultural department acknowledged the festival's unique setting in Saarpolygon and the potential for attracting international audiences.
