DON CAMILLO & PEPPONE

Statements

“DON CAMILLO & PEPPONE, which we developed in cooperation with the Theater St. Gallen, was a world premiere that meets the highest international standards, and we are proud to be bringing this classic to the Viennese musical stage for its Austrian premiere early in 2017.  The show offers a reunion with many much-loved characters – brought to life with warmth and charm by our superb cast – transporting the audience back in time to 1950s rural Italy. The two main characters have become cult figures the world over in numerous literary and cinematic incarnations. Our first-class writing and leading teams breathe fresh life into these beloved characters, who overcome their antithetical beliefs and together find a way to fight inhumanity and intolerance. The result is a wonderful addition to our performance schedule and a magnificent original musical.”

Christian Struppeck, Artistic Director of Musicals, VBW

 

“When Michael Kunze approached me with an idea for a new musical, I was instantly fired up and would have moved heaven and earth to bring this wonderful tale of Don Camillo and Peppone to the stage. I am thrilled that the Theater St.Gallen in cooperation with the VBW has been able to create this new musical. The synergies between the two theatres enabled us to stage a unique musical world premiere at the Theater St.Gallen in April 2016. I now greatly look forward to the Austrian premiere at the Ronacher in Vienna.”

Werner Signer, Managing Director, Theater St.Gallen

“Our unique working relationship with Michael Kunze, which goes back years, reached a high point in 2013 with the world premiere of the musical “Moses – The Ten Commandments”, and another one with the world premiere of “Don Camillo and Peppone” in April 2016. Dario Farina’s memorable music helped to turn the story into an upbeat, light-hearted musical that transports the audience to 1950s Italy. Our first-class creative team and ensemble will undoubtedly infect Viennese audiences with the same Mediterranean joie de vivre.”

Peter Heilker, Director of Opera, Theater St.Gallen

“A few years ago I happened to stumble across a copy of Giovannino Guareschis ‘The Little World of Don Camillo’, a collection of short stories that was filmed in the 1950s under the title ‘Don Camillo und Peppone’. My early childhood memories of the film were mixed with  astonishment at how unexpectedly relevant the book had remained. After all, the Don Camillo stories are about the realisation that fundamentalism of any kind destroys the basis of peaceful coexistence. Using an Italian village as a microcosm allows that theme to be explored light-heartedly. I approached the material with the same loving irony as Guareschi and the same delight in these wonderful characters. As a result, it turned out to be something very different from my earlier musicals, ‘Elisabeth’, ‘Mozart!’, ‘Dance of the Vampires’ und ‘Rebecca’, namely a joyous, carefree musical. The brilliant Dario Farina’s catchy, unpretentious music provides a marvellous Italian flair.”

Michael Kunze, book and lyrics

“When Michael Kunze first approached me with the idea of writing a musical about ‘Don Camillo and Peppone’, I was delighted, because these stories were an important part of my youth. I immediately read ‘Il mondo Piccolo di Don Camillo’ and started composing the music. The show deals with topics like respect, tolerance and friendship, qualities which I feel we have rather lost touch with today. I tried to match the music to the action and location, to give the audience the feeling of being right there in Italy. I am delighted that after many years of preparation we were able to stage the production in cooperation with the Theater St. Gallen and the VBW. We also managed to get a fantastic ensemble together, who will hopefully make the show as much of a success in Vienna as it was in its world premiere run in St Gallen. “

Dario Farina, music

“There could be no better time to stage ‘Don Camillo & Peppone’. Just as the little Italian town of ‘Boscaccio’, where the action is set, finds itself in turmoil following the end of the second World War, so we find ourselves in a time of social upheaval. There is a clash of opposing political and religious beliefs. The show’s message is that the only solution lies in cooperation and coexistence, and this message is conveyed in an exciting, intelligent and highly entertaining way.”

Andreas Gergen, director