| A stage-play for a Baroque-Orchestra, two Sopranos and one actor
Premiered at the Ronacher Theater Vienna
written and directed by Michael Sturminger
orchestra conductor Martin Haselböck
orchestra Wiener Akademie
music
Christoph W. Gluck, Luigi Boccherini, Antonio Vivaldi, Wolfang A. Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Haydn, Carl Maria von Weber
with
John Malkovich as Jack Unterweger
Soprano I Laura Aikin
Soprano II Aleksandra Zamojska costumes Birgit Hutter
stage director Michael Sturminger
assistants to stage design and production Christiane Lutz, Nina Ball
production Musik Konzepte GmbH
music program
Christoph W. Gluck Introduction and Ciacona L´enfer from Don Juan /instrumental
Luigi Boccherini Ciacona from La Casa del Diavolo / instrumental
Christoph W. Gluck Ballo grazioso from Orfeo / instrumental
Antonio Vivaldi Aria Sposa son disprezzata da Ottone in Villa
Wolfang A. Mozart Vorrei spiegarvi oh Dio
Ludwig van Beethoven Scene and Aria Ah, perfido, op.65
Joseph Haydn Scene of Berenice Berenice, che fai, Hob. XXIVa:10
Carl Maria von Weber Scene and Aria Ah, se Edmundo fosse l´uccisor!
Amadeus Mozart Recitativo, Aria and Cavatina Ah, lo previdi!, KV 27 | The Infernal Comedy is a stage-play for a Baroque-Orchestra, two Sopranos and one actor. It is based on the real-life story of Jack Unterweger, a convicted murderer, acclaimed imprisoned poet, pardoned and celebrated author and journalist, notorious womanizer, and prime example of reintegration, who gradually was suspected of killing a growing number of prostitutes in Vienna, Graz, Prague and Los Angeles, later vanished from Vienna, fled into the U.S, got arrested in Miami, transferred to Austria, accused and finally committed suicide after being convicted of homicide in eleven cases.
Jack Unterweger, interpreted by John Malkovich, is dead. But he is nevertheless on a reading tour of his new memoirs. The memoirs would unearth the absolute truth, assures the serial killer. A grave promise of a liar who says of himself: "The first thing I learned was a smile and that smile was already a lie."
Jack starts reading from his brand new novel, from where he drifts into his memories, connected to the melodramatic music of Christoph Willibald von Gluck`s Don Juan. Between his monologues, several scenes will be performed between the actor and one of two opera singers. Following the doctrine of the affections of baroque music, each of these scenes and arias will represent emotional expressions as Joy, Hatred, Love, Grief, Desire and Admiration in connection of one example of Jack’s various connections to women, including climatic solo-pieces like La scena di Berenice and other pieces by Vivaldi, Handel, Gluck, Haydn and Mozart, which will emerge the emotional background of our story.
|
