Martin Ganeider - Page 12

It has been a while since we sat down with the famous countertenor, Ray Chenez, at his producers office in Vienna and had a chat about his fascinating project called BROADRAY! (click here to read about our first meeting) and what he has in mind to do with it. We talked a lot about the role of countertenors in musical theatre, Broadway history, and upcoming projects. The whole idea started with his producer's suggestion to sing more musical show tunes after she heard him performing CHICAGO'S A Little Bit Of Good at a birthday party. After hours of brainstorming, recording, arranging, and the small matter of a global pandemic, BROADRAY! finally got his shot and came alive at the Porgy and Bess Jazz Club in the heart of Vienna for one night only. Sad to say, without any live audience in the room where it happened, but Chenez gifted us with a professional recording, so you can enjoy BROADRAY! in your very own living room. Ray Chenez is giving an entertainingly vivid and exciting performance you should not miss out on.

Lady In The Dark with Music by Kurt Weil, Lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and book by Moss Hart finally raised his curtain for Opening Night. The so-called Musical Play can be seen as an inspiration for many others, like Kander and Ebb. Instead of a huge Overture, you get dragged into a very intimate dialogue between the Leading Lady Liza Elliot ( wonderfully played by Volksopers very own Julia Koci) and her therapist, Dr. Brooks (Robert Meyer).

Hamburg, one of the most wonderful cities in the world, is always worth a journey. The city is also called, the 'Broadway an der Elbe', with dozens of famous theatres and magical shows in town.

When this interview got posted for the first time, Hamburg has been only a few weeks afar from the German Opening Night of J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Life sometimes goes mysterious ways, the C-Virus forced the world to take a break, but now, the theatres are back and so is Markus Schöttl, Hamburgs Harry Potter. Enjoy the interview we did before everything got canceled. Dive into the wizarding world of Harry Potter.

We all have been overexcited and thankful when our beloved theatres have been able to open their doors after a really devastating time. An Opening Night on almost every corner. The blood started pumping again, shiny theatre lights, glamorous theatre nights, familiar faces, both on stage and in the audience.

The Vindobona, house of entertainment and culinary finesse transformed into a spooky Mansion for Halloween Weekend. An eerie feast for your ears and your palate. From Defying Gravity to the poor unfortunate souls. From all-time classics like THE TIME WARP or the Halloween favorite MONSTER MASH.

THE SECRET PARTY has landed in Austria. Wolfgang Ebners VINDOBONA transformed into a 1968 Paris Night Club. The One Person Musical revue, written for four Characters is an homage to the Master of Modern Chansons, Jacques Brel. His music inspired millions of people and artists like David Bowie.

Musicals on Monday? Normally the theatres are dark and the actors are enjoying their well-deserved day off, not so in Vösendorf, one of Austria's richest municipals. Denise Jastraunig ( curr. US Jellylorum, Jennyanydots, CATS/Vienna) has been talking about the concert idea for a while, and she found a wonderful place for the (hopefully) concert series named MUSICAL MONDAY. Together with Silke Braas-Wolter, Lucius Wolter ( curr. US Gus, Old Deuteronomy; CATS/Vienna), and Florian Fetterle (curr. US Munkustrap, Gus, Old Deuteronomy; CATS/Vienna) Jastraunig found the perfect mix for an entertaining evening with songs from shows, old and new. One of Vienna's most famous piano players, Belush Korenyi accompanied the four in Schloss Vösendorfs vaulted cellar, a charming location, just outside of Vienna. Musical Monday's audience honored their performance with standing ovations. Every good musical concert needs a song that goes like this and something from the jukebox to end the evening on a high. Let's hope for some more Mondays filled with musical melodies and many more of Jastraunig's colleagues on the guest list. A good start to something new.

On December 4th, 1956, history has been written in Sam Phillips Sun Records Studio. The likes of Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis bumped into each other jammed together, and recorded something that happens only once in a lifetime. The star-studded musicians kicked their careers off in Sam Phillips studio. The man who found them and made them into what we know now, Legends in the Rock'n'Roll universe.

The Raimund Theater is open again, more beautiful than ever before. After almost 2 years of refurbishment, the house is ready to welcome back its audience. There might be no better way to open a house with a splendid gala. A journey through the theatre's history from operetta to the golden area of musicals with familiar faces on stage. VBW's very own artistic director, Christian Struppeck, the Master of the house together with Musical Diva Ana Milva Gomes acted as the hosts of the gala. The stage has been home to many great actors from past and present. Many shows have been developed in the house in Viennas 6th district, some of them went down as the greatest musicals in Austrian musical history. Being part of the Reopening from such a historical and magical place is like a once-in-a-lifetime event. Celebrities together with musical theatre lovers followed Struppeck's invitation to the Grand Reopening.

The record-breaking Musical is back after its summer break for another season. An invitation to the Jellicle Ball you can't refuse. It is a joy to watch this talented cast, even the understudies are first cast material, like Jo Lucy Rackham (U/S Rumpelteazer) or the fabulous Lucius Wolter as Old Deuteronomy.

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The answer is yes but not a song of an angry voice, it's full of joy and happiness. St. Margarethen, usually home for huge summer Opera Open Air productions, welcomed a Musical Star Ensemble for a Best Of Concert. St. Margarethen's quarry is located close to the famous Neusiedler See, the largest endorheic sea in central Europe, everything you need for a perfect day/night out.

If you haven't got any tickets for the stellar Musical Concert in the breathtaking St. Maragrethen Quarry, here is your chance to save 10% until Sunday, to honor International Friendship day.

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The Virus we all have been talking about for quite some time is still with us but nevertheless, our country and everything we missed so dear is coming back. Enough with all those cancellations and postponed opening dates, we are more than ready ( and mostly vaccinated) to get entertained.

Due to the huge success, the FLOATING CONCERTS are coming back later this summer. A truly remarkable idea, floating on the beautiful Alte Donau, with fine music and great artists. Vienna at its best.

On June 25th and 26th Anet­ta Szabo, Ant­je Koh­ler, Tan­ja Petra­sek, Ste­fan Blei­ber­schnig, and Mar­tin Pasching also known as CulinarICAL ALLSTARS are filling the stage of the VINDOBONA with Musical Meldodies.

Viennas Raimund Theatre is fully refurbished and even more beautiful than ever before. The house will open its doors in December with the Opening Night of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönbergs Blockbuster MISS SAIGON. Representatives of the press got a first glimpse of the cast and theatre. Christian Struppeck found a promising cast for the german speaking production. It's been 30 years since the opening of MISS SAIGON in the West End of London, a long and successful story. The Vienna production will be directed by Laurence Connor, who is responsible for the new productions in London New York, and Tokyo. There will be a helicopter, there will be love, drama, and of course the sound of a solo saxophone.

Here it is, your catchy tune! Two words, that's all Stephen Sondheim needs. He, Sondheim is a master of lyrics, a composing genius, a living Musical Legend. Nobody apart from him, is able to play and juggling with words to create the most amazing and sometimes horrible to learn, lines in musical theatre. The Volksoper has its own history with Sondheim shows. After A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM and SWEENEY TODD, it is time for Sondheim number three, INTO THE WOODS, directed by Olivier Tambosi and Simon Eichenberger. As mentioned before, it is good to be back in a theatre, and it is safe to be in the auditorium again. (click here to read about the Voksoper Covid 19 prevention concept)