Reading (German)
“Deutschland. Ein Wintermärchen”

Heinrich Heine’s “Deutschland. Ein Wintermärchen” written in 1844 is a mammoth political feuilleton and lyrical epic in one – the travelogue of a German exile, who returns after many years and now – incognito – is travelling through the Prussian dominated country with eyes wide open and a sharp quill to hand. And what is the result of all this? A witty and irate compendium, revue and lament in one – sometimes gentle, sometimes brutal, frequently ambivalent.

The appeal of the production is its simplicity. Martin Heckmann reads the texts, Britta Gorontzy and Michael van Hagen sing – love songs from Schubert, Schumann and Liszt. One shouldn't think it would go together but it does – the lyrics act as an echo of the heart on the sharp political satire, and it is the latter that makes it so worthwhile to watch and listen to this two hour plus performance. Together, narrator and singers weave the threads into one great magical carpet. To be part of that is guaranteed to please.