RUDOLF – THE LAST KISS IN FÜSSEN
On 5 November 2025, the cast for the German premiere of the successful VBW musical RUDOLF – DER LETZTE KUSS (RUDOLF – THE LAST KISS) was presented at a press conference.
Directed by Alex Balga, the play, penned by Frank Wildhorn (music) and Jack Murphy (lyrics), will premiere on 7 May 2026 at the Festspielhaus Neuschwanstein and will then be shown in Germany for the first time.
HIGH-CALIBRE CAST
The leading roles will be played by musical stars Oedo Kuipers (Crown Prince Rudolf) and Katia Bischoff (Mary Vetsera). The audience can also look forward to seeing audience favourites Barbara Obermeier (Countess Marie Larisch), Felix Martin (Emperor Franz Joseph), Kristine Emde (Crown Princess Stephanie) and Lucius Wolter (Eduard Taaffe).
A PLAY ABOUT LOVE, FREEDOM AND FATE
RUDOLF – THE LAST KISS tells the tragic love story of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and Mary Vetsera – a musical drama about personal freedom, political constraints and the courage to stand up for one's convictions. With moving music and impressive visual language, the new production spans the arc from imperial splendour to the inner decay of a young idealist whose life and death became legendary.
FROM JAPAN TO HUNGARY
RUDOLF – DER LETZTE KUSS already has an impressive performance history. Since its German-language premiere in Vienna in 2009 at the Raimund Theater at the Vereinigte Bühnen Wien, further international productions have followed, including in Japan, Hungary and South Korea. In 2026, the musical will come to Germany for the first time.
