Kings Journal: The Opera stage and a fairy-tale (Patreon)

From last December until this summer I worked on a special commission for an opera crew, who create and perform operas from children to get them into touch with classic music and culture.
I presented my sketches and final artworks for this job in previous journals and in late September the opera celebrated it's premiere in a theatre with selected guests.
Inviting special people to a premiere is actually normal, but due to the Corona virus the number of allowed guests had been reduced a lot. So there was the mayor, the costume designer, the carpenter, the director, the choreographer, some families with kids, the performers on stage, theatre employees and me - the stage designer.

(the theatre: exterior and interior)

Also due to the pandemic many seats were blocked with white ribbons, while each second seating row was blocked completely. All guests had to wear a mask until they found their seats. An automated announcement provided all important information about proper behaviour inside the theatre considering the virus. 

Till Eulenspiegel

The opera is called "Till Eulenspiegel". Till is a famous jester and his stories are known all across Germany. His adventures and tricks can be considered as fairy-tales, but it is believed, that he really existed.
The opera tells one of his adventures, beginning with the narrator who invites the audience to come to King Rudelbunt's kingdom, where the princess is in love with a knight and an evil duke wants the crown.

The princess loves Ritter Wohlgestalt (literally: knight Handsome-shape) from England, but her father wants her to marry Duke Donnergroll (lit: Thundergrowl) from France for political reasons. The princess is angry and very sad and falls terribly love sick. The royal doctor tries to cure her, but without a special potion made with dragon blood, the princess will die.

King Rudelbunt is desperate and offers his daughter's hand to any guy who will bring him dragon blood. Till Eulenspiegel who lives at the royal court and Duke Donnergroll get into a competition: Till who wishes to save the princess against the evil Duke who is completely broke and wishes to become king himself after marrying the princess.

Only one can reach the forsaken forest first to find a dragon.

Fortunately Till is very clever and tricks the Duke to slow him down.
Inside the forsaken forest the smoke of a fire leads the duke to a wrong trace, because he believes it is dragon's breath. 

At the same time Till manages to get some blood from a small, sleeping dragon and when the Duke arrives one of the big dragons awakes and scares him away.

Back at the palace Till gives the blood to the doctor and convinces the king to test Duke Donnergroll's honesty with a riddle.

The Duke fails, is revealed as an imposter and he must leave the kingdom.
Till who has saved the princess' life and the kingdom, has no interest in marriage so the king allows his daughter to marry her big love Ritter Wohlgestalt from England.
To celebrate the Happy Ending the royal court dances.

Afterword

Till Eulenspiegel is a comedy fairy-tale, with singing, music and dancing. It is a combo of classic music and a musical.
The press wrote very positive critics and the mayor said in his speech, that he is very proud, that even during these difficult times (the Corona virus ruins human existences and cultural life) the opera crew (plus patronage of the city) created a new play to keep culture alive.
I was also on stage during the final applause, when the cast was introduced.
It was a pity, that the theatre had to be half empty, but it was a wonderful moment nevertheless.

I also got a little present from the carpenter, who enjoyed working together with me.
It's a reflecting, silver owl (Eulenspiegel means owls-mirror). Nothing precious, but charming.

Maybe I will be chosen again to create a new stage in a few years. It would be very nice.
From now on the stage of Till Eulenspiegel will travel across Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Luxembourg.

I hope that many children will be able to watch Till's adventure and once a vaccine against Corona is found, I hope it will be even more.

Thank you for reading.