- Upper Ammergau: Stony road to the next crucifixion
Not yet accomplished - but progress is being made towards the next crucifixion: The deadline for applications to direct the renowned Passion play in Oberammergau has been moved up by nearly a quarter, and the director for 2030 is expected to be decided by the end of October. The town council has set September 8 as the application deadline, and they plan to decide on the candidate by October 16, according to Oberammergau's mayor, Andreas Rödl.
For the first time in the nearly 400-year history of this renowned amateur play, which is known worldwide, there is a formal application process for the position of director. The small town nestled at the foot of the mountains has been abuzz with debate surrounding this decision.
Rumors of a power struggle between long-time director Christian Stuckl and his former deputy and protégé, Abdullah Karaca, have been a significant source of unrest. Karaca, who is 35 years old, had reportedly considered running against his mentor. Stuckl had brought him onto the leadership team in 2015, making him the first Muslim to hold the position of deputy director. Not everyone in the town was pleased with this decision at the time.
However, the two have reportedly reached an agreement and plan to apply together, according to Rödl. Speculation suggests that Karaca might step aside and allow Stuckl to take the lead role. If they both apply, it would be a first in the history of the Passion play. Neither Stuckl nor Karaca were available for comment.
In addition to these two candidates, there is another applicant who has little experience with large-scale productions, unlike Stuckl, who is also the intendant of the local theater, and Karaca, who has regularly directed productions there. If these are the only applicants, Stuckl leading the 2030 Passion play is a distinct possibility.
Application deadline moved up
Originally, applicants had until the end of the year to submit their applications. However, the long deadline did not help to calm the tensions in the town. Supporters of Stuckl were already planning a protest march in his favor.
In early August, the town council decided to move the application deadline to September. It is not clear yet whether the applications will be submitted orally or in writing, as the council has not specified this. Rödl has only received oral applications so far, and he would be surprised if any more candidates come forward. The pool of applicants is limited to Oberammergau residents who have, will have, or have had the right to perform in the play, meaning they were born there or have lived there for 20 years.
The council plans to announce the decision on October 16. Before that, the candidates will be presented to the faction leaders on September 16, and the council reserves the right to make a preliminary selection. On October 10, the candidates will present themselves to the public in a town meeting.
With this timeline, the director for the 2030 Passion play, which depicts the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, will be decided earlier than ever before. The next performance on the massive open-air stage is still over five and a half years away. The town of Oberammergau has been presenting the Passion play every ten years since 1633, following a vow made during the plague.
Four times, in his debut passion in 1990, Stückl became the youngest director of all time, successfully staging the biblical drama. Last year, he made it clear that he would like to do it a fifth time.
Stückl has been in office since 1990.
However, some in the 5000-person town seem to think that the 62-year-old, who has been a director for nearly 40 years and is assertive when it comes to the matter, has become too powerful. Others see him as a reformer who has dusted off the passion, freed it from Christian anti-Judaism, and turned it into a sought-after cultural event with impressive productions.
A request by the Independent Voter Community to advertise the directorship for the first time caused the first stir some months ago. The town council then followed the request in a modified form.
"It's not about not wanting him anymore," Mayor Rödl explained at the time, regarding Stückl. Rather, it's about creating more transparency and seeing if there are applicants who haven't been considered before. The community does not want to be accused of backroom deals regarding the directorship.
Stückl, an honorary citizen of the town and highly decorated for his work on the passion plays, was disappointed. He certainly isn't lacking in work at the Munich Volkstheater, but the passion is more than that. "It's where my heart is."
For Stückl, deeply influenced by Catholicism, it has always been about conveying the message of Jesus, urgently, emotionally, and in relation to the current time. He also brought the amateur theater forward with impressive mass scenes, sometimes directing hundreds of people on stage. Anyone who has lived in Oberammergau for at least 20 years or was born there can participate in the passion - more than 2000 Oberammergauer were involved in the passion in 2022.
The last passion under Stückl's direction was also a huge financial success. Almost half a million people attended the performances, and the play brought in 48 million euros - a massive economic factor for the small town.
The decision on the director for the 2030 Passion play, now expected by the end of October, will be made by The Commission, as referred to by Mayor Rödl. This commission will review the applications, including the joint application from Christian Stuckl and Abdullah Karaca, before making their choice.
