Top 5 German Language Musicals

In case my last post wasn't any indication, it's safe to say I've been...fascinated by German language musicals lately to the point they've inspired me to learn German. So to sum up why I love them (and introduce you to something different), I decided to rank my favourite ones. To qualify they must've premiered in Germany, Austria or Switzerland first, so those which opened in another country & later had a recording in German don't count like Rudolf: Affaire Mayerling & Marie Antoinette (which premiered in Hungary & Japan respectively) while those which were made in another language in workshops & then translated to German for its premiere run do i.e. Schikaneder & Hunchback of Notre Dame (both workshopped in English). And if you're unsure about them due to the language barrier, I'll be adding three song recommendations from each show to check out.

1) Elisabeth. I'm going to honest, I wasn't sure about this show when I first came across it through a YouTube recommendation. I was scared that I would've found it too confusing and after looking it up and finding out it had numerous changes over the years, it made me feel like I'd never be watching the same show. That is until I finally watched it and was entranced by its beautiful score, compelling characters and tragic story about such a fascinating historical figure who ultimately led a tragic life after being romanticised by society for over a century. Showing her love-hate relationship with the personification of Death from her marriage to Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph at sixteen to her murder by the show's narrator Luigi Lucheni, it never fails to make me cry by the end. It may be easy to call it the Austrian Evita due to the similar structures, but Elisabeth stands out on its own and belongs in the ranks of shows like Les Miz or Phantom. If there's ever a revival in Vienna or around Germany, I'd see it in a heartbeat (or just head over to Japan where it's remained successful for over 20 years).
Song recommendations: Ich gehor nur mir (I Belong to Me), Die Schatten Werden Langer (the Shadows are Getting Longer), Der Schleier Fallt (The Veil Falls)


2) Tanz Der Vampire (Dance of the Vampires). Despite it being number two, this is actually the musical which made me fall in love with German language shows. I've already been through why I love this in my post about its Broadway incarnation's failure (less said about it, the better), but here's a quick recap: Jim Steinman's rock score is catchy and fun (along with a surprisingly effective use of Total Eclipse of the Heart), the story is hilarious while endearing, the characters are all lovable and some of the best dance sequences I've seen in a show. An adaptation of Roman Polanksi's 1967 vampire spoof, it's one of those rare adaptations which improves the material by taking full advantage of its silliness without sacrificing the story, characters and emotions. It's the type of camp that is entirely self aware and I bloody love it.
Song recommendations: Totale Finsternis (Total Eclipse), Starker Als Wir Sind (Stronger Than We Are), Die Unstillbare Gier (The Insatiable Greed)


3) Rebecca. This adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's classic novel genuinely surprised me. With enchanting songs, a gripping mystery plot and beautiful costumes & sets (with possibly the best set piece for a climax which puts Phantom's chandelier & Miss Saigon's helicopter to shame), it's one of those adaptations which may sound strange on paper, but in execution is amazing. Even if the planned Broadway production never happened due to one person scamming the producers millions through fabricating an investor, I still hope an English version will eventually come (there are English demos on Youtube featuring European theatre legends Pia Douwes and Uwe Kroeger as Mrs Danvers & Maxim de Winter on YouTube).
Song recommendations: Ich Hab Getraumt von Manderley (I've Dreamt of Manderley), Jenseits der Nacht (Beyond the Night), Rebecca



4) Schikaneder. The only issue with this is there's no live recording available anywhere, let alone one with English subtitles. Does that mean it's not worth checking out whatever clips there are or the soundtrack? Absolutely not. Telling the story of Emmanuel and Eleonore Schikaneder's turbulent marriage filled with infidelity, this quirky romantic comedy shows the two of them forced to work together as he writes the libretto for one of the most popular operas of all time, Mozart's The Magic Flute. Composed by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Prince of Egypt & Pocahontas), the score has sweeping melodies which feel reminiscent of Mozart while remaining unique and are guaranteed to make you smile. Topping off with an immaculate production design and two lovable leads even with their faults, it's honestly a shame it didn't last long in Vienna given how successful it was critically and financially. With rumours of a Broadway production happening, let's pray that Trevor Nunn will be back in the director's chair and won't let it be messed up like the other attempts to bring German language musicals across the Atlantic.
Song recommendations: Traum Gross (Dream Big), Mein Lied (My Song), Lezter Vorhang (Last Curtain)

5) Mozart! Das Musical. It took a while for me to get used to its unconventionally modern production design (this is judging the 2015 revival recording I watched), but it's grown on me. With musical prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the centre, the show focuses mostly on his rocky relationship with his father, his romance with Constanze Weber and being restricted of his talent by patron Archbishop Colloredo, all while trying to live up to his image shown through his child form following him throughout the show. Even with his eccentric and impulsive behaviour, you still relate to Mozart throughout his struggles as the people around him try to control his talents. The emotions are strong in this show with some great songs and performances which are definitely worth checking out, and some sequences can look amazing when looking past the anachronistic production design.
Song recommendations: Der Prinze ist Fort (The Prince is Gone), Wir Zwei Zusammen (We Two Together), Ich Bin, Ich Bin Musik (I Am, I Am Music)

Honorable mention: Der Glockner von Notre Dame (Hunchback of Notre Dame). Yep, the stage adaptation of Disney's 1996 film started life in Berlin. The transition to stage was probably composer Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz's way of making the Hunchback adaptation they wanted by taking Victor Hugo's novel's darker elements compared to the film's Disneyfied elements with cartoony sidekicks and overly happy ending. The new songs and changes made sense plot-wise and the music fit very well in a theatrical setting with its scope and style. With all this praise, why is it an honourable mention? Because I feel it actually improved once it crossed over to America with its plot changes and improved sets and songs. And Germany were clearly aware of this as they used the American book and sets when it revived in Berlin. Regardless of which version, it's still an amazing show which will possibly remind you a that is better than you remember it.
Song recommendations: Someday, Flight into Egypt & A Place of Miracles

And here are a few few other shows worth taking a look at:

Rudolf: Affaire Mayerling. Frank Wildhorn's (Jekyll & Hyde) telling of Elisabeth's (yep, the same Elisabeth from above) son Rudolf and his romance with Mary Vestera with its political ramifications leading to their suicide pact in Mayerling. I know I didn't count it on the list as it opened in Hungary, but its Austrian recording is pretty good. Doesn't really have a compelling plot with the affair being far fetched in historical accuracy, characters who deserved more dimension hardly getting any and the production design not really fitting the tone or setting, but the performances were amazing (especially Drew Sarich in the titular role), there were some songs that got stuck in my head and the ending made me cry.

Artus: Excalibur. Another Frank Wildhorn penned show, this time about the King Arthur legend, I did find some YouTube clips and some of the songs are pretty good, but I can't really judge it as I'm not as familiar with it compared to the rest of the shows I've mentioned. It seems to have gained a cult following though, and what recordings there are do feature some of the most popular actors within the German language theatre community.

If you're interested in watching any of these on YouTube (most of which you can with English subtitles), don't be surprised if you see the same actors scattered around as the theatre community is very tight-knit compared to West End and Broadway (which I'll talk about another time). As for my thoughts on the failed English adaptations, I do have one suggestion of fixing the problem: bring them to England first. West End & UK Tour productions do have their mix of sophisticated aand guilty pleasure musicals with that experimental style Brits can resonate with compared to America's more mechanical way of producing shows which don't have much longevity in comparison.

Dance of the Vampires: A Nightmare That Bites the Dust

Based on the Roman Polanski's 1967 satire The Fearless Vampire Killers, the 1997 Austrian stage adaptation Tanz Der Vampire is still considered a classic around Eastern Europe. I know it's easy to joke that musicals based on vampire related media are terrible, but it's easy to see why Tanz succeeds: The story is a mix of romantic, hilarious and gothic while subverting and indulging Hammer movie cliches, the music has lyrics that are Sondheim levels of witty with awesome rock melodies (and yes, Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart is used) and the characters are surprisingly endearing while satirizing their stereotypical roles. It's pure camp and I bloody love it (no pun intended) and really hoping I find a way to see it some day despite the language barrier. The Broadway version...? Well, that's our topic for today.

An English adaptation of Tanz was announced in 1998 following its success in Austria after producers wanted to bring it to English speaking audiences. Initially planned for a West End run (which I honestly think would've been a better choice given that we Brits are more forgiving to cheesy rock operas with elaborate dancing), composer Jim Steinman believed Broadway would be a better route because of his background in New York theatre. Given that Polanski directed the German stage version and wasn't risking getting arrested for reasons I'd rather not address if he ever set foot in the US, Steinman announced he'd step in, a surprise considering the show had already been delayed from 1998 to 2001. Oh, and he never directed a musical before, let alone one of a massive scale.

 With an autumn 2001 release planned, Steinman and manager/producer David Sonenberg brought in co-director John Caird and playwright David Ives to write the book, leading to the show's biggest change: the tone. Or specifically, the comedy from subtle satire to a Mel Brooks over the top style where Steinman stated "we were told to put five jokes of every page." Why you may ask? Because apparently the original musical's style of storytelling wasn't considered acceptable for Broadway audiences...proven false when invitation-only audiences hated the new comedy. With Elizabeth Williams and Anita Waxman joining as producers, Steinman realized his and the creative team's visions for the show weren't working to the point he told the press ""I can't tell you how many things are the opposite of what I want, but I am part of a team". Firing Williams and Waxman as things got more heated from it's looming release and struggling to come up with investment money, you'd think things would get better if Steinman got his way, right?

Deciding a star lead would bring in investors, a number of people were considered to play Graf von Krolock including John Travolta, Placido Domingo and David Bowie. Ultimately, Michael Crawford was cast (ironic considering Steve Barton originated von Krolock in Vienna). However, that came with a big price. Considering he starred in a little production you might have heard of called Phantom of the Opera and lost the part in the upcoming film adaptation to Antonio Banderas (which obviously eventually went to Gerard Butler), he demanded creative control over Krolock to avoid similarities if he was sticking around for his planned three year contract. Simple enough, right?  Except he also demanded $180,000 salary a week (later claimed to be false and went down to $30,000) and the option to reprise the role in London and LA along with any film adaptation of the show. Also helping out with the book to add in more comedy, it got to the point that Ives felt like he was a stenographer than a writer. However, in reality, it was more adding in a "continental accent" and costume changes as the comedic tone was already evidenced in workshops. With rehearsals starting in January 2001 with a planned April 2002 release after 6 weeks of previews, things would finally run smooth for the show, right?

Except for one problem:

Yep.
Given that this was a comedy involving murderous vampires, it wouldn't have been the most appropriate musical to open in New York at the time. With logistical problems as most of the production team were based in London, Steinman announced the show would be delayed (again...) to October 24th 2002. With this delay, the crew finally had time to find other producers, investors and set designer David Gallo (who's designed sets for Memphis and Thoroughly Modern Millie and was hired as Steinman claimed he was the only American set designer to subscribe to Heavy Metal Magazine). However, because of long distance issues and increasing frustrations from producers to see names associated with comedy at the helm, Steinman and Caird were replaced by John Rando as director. Oh, by the way, he never directed a show like this either.

So with everything from the start being a huge mess, it's probably not a surprise when I say that rehearsals weren't without issue either. New choreographer John Carrafa just told cast members to "rock on" during the dance numbers, John Rando's mother died during production and had to be sidelined leading to no definite creative head for previews, co-author of the original production Michael Kunze felt it was too late to make changes he hated when brought in as consultant and Crawford insisted more comedic elements for Krolock while cast members secretly made fun of his weight sensitive costumes. Oh yeah, and some cast members left when they realized how much of a mess the whole thing was and Steinman stopped visiting the theatre possibly due to being fired and acknowledging the show was at war with itself to the press.

With previews (yet again opening late because of technical issues) doing decently in the box office thanks to Michael Crawford's name attached, other cast members included Mandy Gonzalez as Sarah in her Broadway debut, Max von Essen as Alfred (whose careers would mercifully improve after this), Rene Auberjonois as Professor Abronsius, Asa Somers as Herbert, Liz McCartney as Rachel, Ron Orbach as Chagal and Leah Hocking as Magda. So after the turmoil it lead to, Dance of the Vampires FINALLY opened on December 9th 2002 at the Minskoff Theatre, and well...

The show was panned for its clunky and tonally dissonant story, terrible humour and Crawford's performance. As for its financial losses? Oh boy...12 million dollars, eclipsing the notorious Carrie as Broadway's biggest financial flop. Number of performances it lasted? 56, as it closed on January 25th 2003. And to add insult to injury, Steinman didn't attend opening night, refuses to hear this production mentioned to this day and continues to bash it. So...this would almost guarantee an English adaptation would never happen again and should've been a reason why Roman Polanski was glad to be banned from the US.

How could I not use this gif?

While I find it a shame that an English version is likely never going to happen because of this mess (yep, watched a bootleg and it's painful with its obnoxious "DAMN IT, IT'S FUNNY" attitude and how much it ruined my favourite characters and musical numbers), my only recommendation is to watch the German version on youtube with English subtitles. Or somehow travel to Germany, Vienna or Austria if it happens to be running there after reading a wikipedia synopsis and make sure it has English subtitles on screens. Like I mentioned, the original show is still a darling around Europe, so the reasons why the Broadway version failed speak for itself. Nothing more, nothing less. Let's just ignore this turd and carry on loving the original.

Yeah...safe to say this sums up everyone's feelings towards the Broadway version.