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The Performance of Elijah (by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy) in the Luitpoldhalle in Freising (Germany) was a delight for eyes and ears. After each piece I see now way to improve on a great performance and then the creative team blows me away with yet another superlative.

The stage was placed in front of the orchestra and only about 30 centimeters high. That way the audience almost sat on the stage. Smack in the middle instead of just along for the ride …

The orchestra was visible behind (and above) the stage through a translucent curtain. In this picture, taken during the preparations for the performance, you can get a good impression of the setup.

The stage for Elijah, as seen by the audience.

The orchestra, on the other hand, had a special view of the acting, which I found fascinating:

View from the orchestra on to the stage.

I huddled down in the middle, right in front of the stage – a perfect place for photography. What I did not expect was the auditory and emotional force of an Elijah belting out a solo at a distance of half a pace. That was an emotional roller coaster ride that I have never experienced before. It gave me a whole new, personal relationship with the oratorio.

The narrator before the second act.

All pictures are here for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Last weekend I had a really fun assignment shooting a rehearsal of the musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. It will be performed May 13th and 14th in Freising by a cast of almost 300 people.

What I saw was breathtaking – a stunning performance. Even though the performers are all laymen and -women, the choreographer, director, voice coaches, etc. are all pros working pro bono – and it shows.

Here are some impressions, you can find more on my Flickr! page in the Joseph set.

Grim Brothers

Grim looking brothers - not all of which are male.

Angry brothers shout at the Narrator

Brothers crowding around and shouting their anger at the narrator.

Josephs brothers and the narrator practice dance moves.

Narrator and brothers practicing dance moves.

Colorful children.

Children practicing their color swirl dance.

In case you have been looking carefully and feel confused: there are two different narrators to cover all four performances. 🙂