For the third time, students are bringing an opera for children and young people to the stage: after a chamber version of Mozart's "Abduction from the Seraglio" for 10th graders in autumn 2021 and the "Actress Director" for 3rd and 4th graders based on Mozart's (almost) eponymous singspiel (2023), an Orpheus opera for pupils aged 10 to 15 will premiere on March 17, 2025. In the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus, the singer who descends into the underworld to bring his deceased lover Eurydice back to the living, the power of music meets the timeless theme of dealing with death and grief. Both can be experienced here in a contemporary guise and with music ranging from Monteverdi to contemporary pop.

The school opera projects aim to give children and young people access to the genre of opera, which is sometimes perceived as unwieldy. In addition to the enthusiasm of all those involved, newly written texts, music arranged for a smaller ensemble, shortened and in some cases freshly composed music, a production with links to the lives of today's young people and, above all, interactive moments and the participation of pupils in the production all contribute to this. Stage sets were created for "Orpheus" as part of a school project, and pupils also developed questions for the characters, which are brought to the stage as part of the production.

Choice of subject matter and music, libretto, direction, stage and costumes, arrangement, musical direction, pedagogical concept, the extensive organizational aspects: All of this is being developed and realized - accompanied by a team of teaching staff and with special support from Prof. Katharina Thoma - by students of vocal performance, school music, music theory and others.

Rehearsals are currently in full swing and from March 17, around 230 children and young people will come to our university theater every morning. A free public performance for all interested parties will take place on Wednesday, March 19 at 4:30 p.m. in the university theater (reservations required).