Today : world première of Ludger Vollmer's 'Crusades' in Freiburg

Today, the Theater Freiburg presents the world première performance of Ludger Vollmer's new opera, Crusades, with a libretto by Tina Hartmann.

It is the composer's sixth opera, after Gegen die Wand (Bremen, 2008), Border (Köln, 2012) and Lola rennt (Regensburg, 2013).

Jerusalem as a religious field of conflict that has lasted over thousands of years as well as the history of the destructive crusades form the foundation for a passionate love story that goes beyond religious borders – a story that could take place in the cultural mix of any European city today. (reproduced from the Theater Freiburg website)

The study score is available for perusal on the Schott music website. According to their website, the required orchestra is the following :

- 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons ;
- 2 horns (2. doubling Schofar), 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, 1 tuba ;
- 3 percussions ;
- piano, oud ;
- strings.

The opera is in four acts and an epilogue. The cast includes baritone Alejandro Lárraga Schleske (Bernhard von Clairvaux / Omar), tenor Ünüsan Kuloglu (Maciel), , tenor Christoph Waltle (Hl. Franziskus / Gabriel), mezzo Sirin Kilic (Tamar), soprano Kim-Lillian Strebel (Safiye / Rabia von Basra) and bass Jin Seok Lee (Papst Urban II / Imam Ibrahim / Oberrabiner von Israel). Daniel Carter conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Theater Freiburg. Neco Celik directs.

The opera should last about two hours.