I saw the Oberammergau Passion Play once before, in 1990, when I was a young reporter writing stories about Germany while on a journalism fellowship; I had no idea that I would go on to cover religion and then theater. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. All roles are double cast, so about half of the village is on stage, including almost 500 children. Tickets and 9-day Package from 1950/ $2650. Many Oberammergauers describe participation in the Passion Play as a primary form of social life here as a way townspeople get to know one another across generational lines. Oberammergau is a small town located approximately 60 miles from Munich. Stckl also knows that a global production cannot be shaped by Bavarian Catholic perspectives alone. This desireto experience the Oberammergau Passion Play once in a lifetime has driven millions of tourists and pilgrims to visit the village over the years. This phenomenon is years, or rather centuries, in the making. The Oberammergau Passion Play is performed in an open-air stage in the Bavarian town of Oberammergau, Germany. These package deals for the Passion Play Oberammergau are sold directly to individuals by the event organizers. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader). Packages range from 3 nights with a focus just on the Germany, to 20 night tours visiting several surrounding countries. The passion play has a really important role for the community of Oberammergau because everybody participates, said Andreas Rdl, the towns 37-year-old mayor, the people onstage, the people that sell woodcarvings, the people that sell coffee, the hotels and the gastronomy. Rdl first appeared in the play at age 4, met his wife in the cast in 2010, and this year performs in the choir. But also, he added, there is symbolic significance for a play staged in Bavaria, which he called the former heartland of Nazism, and which, he said, after the Holocaust did not confront its history of antisemitism and anti-Judaism, even as Christians elsewhere were doing just that. Over 2,000citizens are involved including acting, singing, musicians and technical support. delayed two years by the coronavirus pandemic, leading a theater about 55 miles north in Munich. In the 1930s, Hitler saw the play (twice) and loved it; deep into the 20th century some Jewish characters wore horns. Filed Under: Bavaria, Bavarian Alps, Germany, Romantic Road Tagged With: 2020D12, 2022, Bavaria, J1, M3, Oberammergau, P21, Passion Play, Passionsspiele. That will not happen when you book with us. (It began as a faith-based response to plague-related deaths. Tradition is life., Michael Paulson is the theater reporter. Abdullah Kenan Karaca, taking a break outside the theater, plays Nicodemus, a follower of Jesus. The entire run was already 95 percent sold out, so the move was devastating, and led to layoffs at hotels and restaurants in town. About 400 players who had signed up to take part in 2020 were forced to drop out, some due to changing life plans, others owing to their refusal to be vaccinated or to take a daily test. The town is beautiful, surrounded by majestic mountains and picturesque meadows. After a two-year delay due to the coronavirus, Germany's famous Oberammergau Passion Play is opening soon. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader). [11] Depicting the life, persecution, death and resurrection of Jesus, the 42nd season of what is believed to be the oldest continuous running amateur theatre production in the world will open on Saturday with a 103-performance run until October. He was proudly telling a tourist that he was one of two men playing John, and that his father is Pontius Pilate. NOTE: The Oberammergau Passion Play 2020 has been postponed until 2022. As audience members, we love seeing passion, but perhaps even more, we're drawn to stories of families. Limited Space Available - Secure your spot. As Frederik Mayet, one of the two actors alternating in the role of Jesus this year, says, all group sacrifices are in service of what they see as the greater good. ARCHIVE: How the infamous Oberammergau Passion Play is evolving. Passionsspiele Oberammergau. Just 30 years ago, you had to be Catholic to participate. As part of an organized group tour these tickets are sold only to bona fide tour operators. Theater director Christian Stckl attends a news conference prior to the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. The same types of tickets are likely to be available as for the 2022 festival (Passion Play postponed from 2020). The first night was on 15 May and it will run until 3 October. Oberammergau and the Ammer River from the summit of Kofel peak (1,342 m/4,403 ft). Oberammergau Passion Play - Wikipedia Package deals range from around 250 to 1200 depending on the choice of hotel, seating category, and the duration of the stay (one or two nights). During large crowd scenes, younger actors fidget with their costumes and wiggle around stage, adding a touch of realism. However, making adjustments to the actual production can be tricky when you're dealing with centuries of tradition. That was the 42nd Oberammergau Passion Play Trailer of the Passion Play 2022 News Blog Announcement of the cast of the Passion Play Still we are always fighting or talking, discussing in our village about the rules of participation and the other stuff, but I have the feeling its shifted a bit more to the story.. Information about prices for tickets and processing, Estimated setting up the ``Passion Play office`` in Oberammergau, Beginning of 2021: Start sales of packages, The ``Hair Decree`` - from this date on all the men in Oberammergau taking part in the play are requested to let the hair on their heads and faces grow *. Centuries-old German Passion Play is back - DW - 05/13/2022 Cengiz Grr, a 22-year-old actor who plays Judas in this years production, is the first Muslim to star in a major role; young children from different parts of the world, who came to Oberammergau as refugees in recent years, are also among the ensemble. Oberammergau and the Passion Play | EWTN The Oberammergau Passion Play ( German: Oberammergauer Passionsspiele) is a passion play that has been performed every 10 years from 1634 to 1674 and each decadal year since 1680 (with a few exceptions) by the inhabitants of the village of Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany. In 1633, in the hope of gaining God's help, the village . He said the production is doing better than feared largely thanks to an unexpected boom in German visitors. On the five nights a week the play is performed, the towns population can be nearly doubled: Hotels here and nearby fill to capacity, and locals rent out space in their guest rooms to meet the demand. (Although he calls the still-standing rule that you must have been born in the village or be a 20-year resident too restrictive, noting that two decades is too long to prove that you're a part of the city.) Where is Oberammergau? I had goosebumps. Hit early and hard at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, these cities have been chosen as a symbol of renaissance, hope and rebirth through culture. A wood carvers shop in town. This year the role of the donkey, on whose back Jesus was due to ride into Jerusalem, will be played by Aramis, as the previous donkey, Sancho, has gone into retirement. And Covid remains a constant complication: Regular cast testing turns up a stream of positive cases, forcing adaptation. Its not only to see the holy places, but also we have a very deep discussion about our belief about Jesus, which as a normal hotel manager I would never do, said Anton Preisinger, a 54-year-old who runs the Hotel Alte Post, and who plays Pontius Pilate, a role his father also once played. The Romans didnt like trouble; Jesus was trouble, and the ruling Jewish priests were expected to keep Jerusalem quiet. From getting lost in a historic market to exploring iconic cultural institutions, these are the best things to do in Qatar. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". PACKAGES: DEPARTING: 1 August 2022 from Manchester or Heathrow. Each of the approximately 1800 cast members is required to do a rapid self-test before heading on stage. Sign up to The Travel Magazine's FREE Newsletter and get the latest news, articles, guides, promotions and competitions. Adolf Hitler, no lover of Christianity, who viewed the play in 1930 and in 1934 at its 300th anniversary, instrumentalized it as a tool of antisemitism. They accept the fact that a Muslim is playing Judas. Tour buses shuttled visitors into town from local hotels and guesthouses. Men grow out their hair and beards to make the look authentic to the time. The Oberammergau passion play takes five hours and is performed in two sessions from May to mid-August: (All times an hour earlier for performances after 15 August 2022.). Note that public transportation is problematic after the show. They acknowledge me. When I emailed the main press contact for the play, I paused when the name looked familiaras it turns out, he is one of two men playing the role of Jesus. The memory is vivid, even though it was two decades ago. Se Habla Espaol After a different pandemic delayed the latest production, this year's show is extra special. With this in mind, the changes made include the addition of a menorah that now is placed on the table during the last supper, while at one point, Jesus holds up the Torah to the audience all to emphasise that Jesus was Jewish. It does not store any personal data. But now the world is a different place, he says, referring in particular to the effects of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the increasing displacement of people and mounting ecological disaster. A barnyard's worth of animals crop up on stage, including the donkey that assists Jesus's first appearance. The play has such an outsize impact on the town that in Oberammergau, people measure their lives not in years but in Passion Plays. And the base of everything is a warm brotherhood. Make the most of your time in Germany with Lonely Planets range of travel guides and phrasebooks. The play has been transformed, not perfected. 1730 11th Play year For the year 1730, the Augustinian Anselm Manhart of Rottenbuch (1680-1752) edits the text and introduces the allegorical characters Envy, Greed, Death and Sin as Jesus' opponents. You can feel it out there: That theres a real recovery in society, he told me. (Their hair is later displayed in ropes in the Oberammergau Museum, a building covered in blue denim costumes from 2000 and 2010 Passion Plays.). It took a fairly long time before we were allowed on the stage again.. In Oberammergau, I have to go on stage and show you how to do it. Now that the play is underway, theres always the fear that an outbreak among cast members could take out, for example, both Jesuses at the same time. Oberammergau Passion Play Postponed to 2022 The pandemic canceled this German community's once-a-decade play. It was also one of many steps in a little-by-little evolution of the show, which had a long history of restrictive casting rules, but this year, for the first time, has two Muslims in principal roles: Cengiz Grr, 22, who stars as Judas, and who thought he might try selling cars until Stckl persuaded him to go to acting school, and Karaca, who plays Nicodemus, a follower of Jesus, and serves as the productions deputy director. And while it's easy to visually trace physical genealogical similarities among the actors, the Oberammergau passion play is also the story of "chosen family" of a group of people who share in deep love and support for each other despite not being biologically related. Stckl has also sought to balance the tradition of the playafter all, its nearly four centuries oldwith the need to modernize it. Such tours are sold all over the world by major tour operators. In Stckls production, Jesus and other Jews struggle to sustain their lives and integrity as Gods people under crushing Roman subjugation. Dangerously, Oberammergau resumed its play after the Holocaust as if nothing had happened. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Tickets to the play are very limited. On the five nights a week the play is performed, the towns population can be nearly doubled: Hotels here and nearby fill to capacity, and locals rent out space in their guest rooms to meet the demand. Oberammergau is a small town located approximately 60 miles from Munich. They will sing, play music and act until the season ends on October 2. This years production depicts Jesus as a fiery and frustrated social reformer whose ideas have polarized the Jewish community. After a two-year pandemic delay, between mid-May and early October nearly half a million people are expected to descend on Oberammergau to sit before its massive open-air stage and take in the play. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The townspeople vowed that if the deaths would stop, they would perform a Passion play every ten years to show their appreciation for God. The Travel Magazine is a travel portal with highly informative, upbeat and inspirational articles for people who love to travel. Youre Catholic? Many residents view the Passion Play as a primary form of social life, a way for townspeople to get to know one another across generational lines. But then it is a very male-laden story. He has considerably expanded the time spent on the stage by Jesuss mother, Mary, as well as Veronica, who wipes his face, and Mary Magdalene, considered to be his closest female follower, and he has introduced the role of Pilates wife, previously mentioned only by a male servant who voiced her objection over Jesuss treatment. The 42nd Oberammergau Passion Plays will take place this year 1st August 2022 and there is a real sense of anticipation for the event that was postponed 2 years ago. This article was originally written in German. And every New Testament beat, including Jesus purging the temple, performing miracles, sitting for the last supper, and ultimately dying and rising again, plays out with a heart-breaking honesty. In his dressing room backstage at the 5,200-seat theatre, 41-year-old Frederik Mayet, who alternates playing Jesus with another actor, shows some of his props and aids. For example, a cast-members-only canteen near the theater normally closes at 11:30 p.m., about an hour after the play finishes. Tours are usually available including airfare from various countries, or at much lower prices shorter bus tours may also be available from other German and European cities. In 1633, amid an outbreak of the plague, villagers made a pledge to God: If he spared the townspeople from the plague, they would perform the Passion Play every 10 years. Janina Nowotka, a hairdresser, says shell be waiting for the queues of men outside her salon. Tickets for the Oberammergau Passionsspiele 2030 are likely to be on sale from around mid-2028. Some of Oberammergaus most venomous portrayals of Jews remained as late as the 1980s. There are 124 speaking roles, a 65-member orchestra, 48 person chorus and hundreds of people involved in the back end including stagehands, seamstresses, firemen, auditorium attendants and more. We have a totally different world situation. The next Passion Play will be in 2020. The focus is now more on that, Karaca said. Oberammergau: where a passion play has been performed every decade However, in 1900, entrepreneur Thomas Cook found such a value in the performance, he compelled the city to build a 4,400-seat theatre so that he could sell foreign audiences on the idea of seeing a five-hour play (with an additional three-hour dinner break) in a language they didn't speak, a move that effectively introduced tourism to the region. "It's quite different if I work with professional actors in Munich. Performances are in German but translations of the text are provided. After a two-year delay due to the coronavirus, Germanys famous Oberammergau Passion Play is opening soon. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. Costumes are hand made. Stckl has said his biggest mission is trying to rid the play of the antisemitic view that Jews were collectively responsible for the death of Jesus. In 1633 the residents of this Bavarian village vowed to present a play depicting the suffering and death of Jesus Christ every ten years if they were spared extinction. Bulgaria: Concerns over a spike in antisemitic incidents, Football: Bayern Munich end Qatar deal after fan pressure, International African American Museum opens on historic site, Amazon rainforest study: Brazil led deforestation in 2022. Whats really important is the story we are telling. The Passion Play Oberammergau is performed by over 2,000 local villagers in German English guide books are provided. In the context of the plays history this is a radical move, and Stckl points out the storm that erupted in 1990 when he let a Protestant on to the stage for the first time triggering a petition by the local priest that 1,800 people signed, hoping to push the director out. For about a century, neither the text nor the sets had changed significantly proposed revisions in the 1970s had failed and when Stckl took over, a Catholic theologian was appointed to review every alteration he suggested, and a town hall secretary named to track all edits; he was barred from removing the blood curse by a vote of the town council. A lot has changed in the last 12 years. The Passion Play performance follows Christ from His triumphant entry into Jerusalem through His Trial, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension. The genre defies perfection, and the work against anti-Jewish interpretations defies completion, as the gospel story cries out for actualization in the terms and context of every era. The best tickets and hotel accommodations are given to companies that have booked Passion Play for decades. But this year the war in Ukraine has already put off tens of thousands of Americans, who have cancelled their trips to Europe. It comes with unusual rituals. However, despite pushbacks, evolution has occurred. ), We are Christian, and its going to just renew our beliefs, said Dianne Borck, an attendee from Canberra, Australia. And he has also sought to make the play more inclusive: Protestants, Muslims and married women are now allowed to take part. The Passionstheater in Oberammergau seats around 4,500. We have a very good family feeling for our neighbours. During past Passion Play some vendors used bad hotels or did not even provide tickets to the guests. The play is the villages raison detre. There are beards, too, sported by those old enough to grow facial hair generally ungroomed, and bushy. The. The tradition of the world famous Oberammergau Passion Play began with a vow taken during the Thirty Years' War. There are no performances on Mondays and Wednesday, The duration of the entire play is 5 hours with a 3 hour intermission for dinner. The ancestors of my mother came to the city before 1600. Located near the centre of the village is St Peter und Paul, a baroque Catholic church. The world-famous Oberammergau Passion Play will be performed around 100 times between 14 May 2022 and 2 October 2022 in the small Bavarian town Oberammergau in the south of Germany. Oberammergau's Passion Play Theatre is packed solid for five months every ten years. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". "But the message of the Passion Play is always relevant.". The months it takes place: The Passion Play is held between 16th May and 4th October, with a total of 103 performances taking place. In the midst of the Thirty Years' War, after months of suffering and dying from the plague, the people of Oberammergau pledged to act out the play of the suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ once every 10 years. Faith Matters - Oberammergau Passion Play - The Plague and Covid-19, Ukraine updates: Kramatorsk attack death toll rises, Ukraine: Deadly Russian missile strike hits Kramatorsk, Nikopol faces double threat from Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Rugby in Africa: Much more than the Springboks, Bangladesh heatwave brings on crippling power cuts. Professional actors don't like if I go on stage and show them. Join AM Travel World and witness these plays in Oberammergau, a small village nestling in the Bavarian Alps. Locals have the same feeling that this years production is extra special. The Passion Play will be staged for a total of 102 times, 5 days a week, The passion play will run from May 16th October 4, 2022. Rochus Rueckel as Jesus and cast members perform during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. Oberammergau's Passion Play occurs once a decade and draws on the local community for its cast Lukas Bezila / Lonely Planet. The next opportunity to see it will be 2030 when it returns to its proper cycle (it was transferred from 2020 to this year due to the coronavirus). "It's a role, and I prepared well.". How to Buy Tickets for the Passion Play Oberammergau 2030 NOTE: The 2022 edition's 110 live performances ended on 2 October 2022. DFDS: Ferry offers to Duty Free Shops in 15% off Airport Parking with Travel Airport Plus. Anton Preisinger Jr. and Amelie Kutschker, a donkey handler, backstage at a recent performance. Ticket prices for the Passion Play Oberammergau 2022 range from 30 to 180 paying less than 120 may be saving at the wrong end. Subscribe to Lonely Planet newsletters and promotions. (His grandfather played Jesus.) Pandemics and the passion play have a certain tradition.. (Hes quick to note that hes not actually that old: there have been two special editions of the play, one in 1977 and 1984, that bring up his count.) Tickets and 2-night package at Oberammergau Hotel 590/$796. Christian Stckl, the Passion Plays longtime director, has been credited with transforming a play that was sadly infamous for its hundreds of years of antisemitic tropes and visuals.. The Passion Play tickets are available as part of traditional tour group packages, arrangement tickets that include hotel stays and play tickets, as well as 2022 performance-only tickets. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Gerold starts work before dawn so he can finish in time to play a member of the high council on stage. The villagers of Oberammergau in the Bavarian Alps are in a state of excitement. Individuals may only buy these tickets from resellers as part of a longer group tour. Passion Play Theatre. What made the town famous, was its performance of the Passion of Christ every decade. One of two Muslim men in principal roles, he first performed in the show as an 11-year-old. Mayet also played Jesus in 2010. 'It's My Tradition Too': Oberammergau's Centuries-Old Passion Play But luckily we have continuity where it matters, as most of those in the 42 lead roles have stuck with it, Stckl says. More than 1800 citizens of this Bavarian village participate in the century-old play of the suffering of Christ, staged every 10 years and dating back to 1634. Although described as theater by its creative team, the show has devotional roots, and much of its audience especially the English-speaking tourist base, which consists largely of Christian tour groups, many from the United States sees it as a religious expression. The passion play oberammergau 2022 premiere is now scheduled for May 14, 2022. Men, with the exception of thosewho play the Romans, are to let their hair and beards grow from Ash Wednesday of the previous year to give the play a more realistic touch.