Elisabeth (musical)
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''Elisabeth'' is a Viennese, German-language
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...
commissioned by the
Vereinigte Bühnen Wien Vereinigte Bühnen Wien (VBW), or United Stages Vienna, is a musical production company based in Vienna, Austria which produced several own musicals that were very successful. It also owns and/or operates three theaters: the Theater an der Wien, ...
(VBW), with a book and lyrics by
Michael Kunze Michael Rolf Kunze (born 9 November 1943, in Prague) is a foremost German musical theater lyricist and librettist. He is best known for the hit musicals '' Elisabeth'' (1992), '' Dance of the Vampires'' (1996), '' Mozart!'' (1999), ''Marie Antoin ...
and music by
Sylvester Levay Sylvester Levay (originally Lévay Szilveszter, Serbian language, Serbian: Силвестер Леваи, ''Silvester Levai'') is a Hungarian people, Hungarian recording artist and composer, born in Yugoslavia (now Serbia). Life and career Levay ...
. It portrays the life and death of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, wife of
Emperor Franz Joseph I Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I (german: Franz Joseph Karl, hu, Ferenc József Károly, 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 2 December 1848 until h ...
. It has been translated into seven languages and seen by over ten million spectators worldwide, making it the most successful German-language musical of all time. , it has not been staged in English-speaking countries.


Summary

The musical tells the story of Elisabeth ("Sisi"), the Empress of Austria, from her engagement and marriage in 1854 to her murder in 1898 at the hands of the Italian anarchist Luigi Lucheni, through the lens of her growing obsession with death, as her marriage and her empire crumble around her at the turn of the century. This musical is set in
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
in the late 19th century, at the end of the
Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy (german: Habsburgermonarchie, ), also known as the Danubian monarchy (german: Donaumonarchie, ), or Habsburg Empire (german: Habsburgerreich, ), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities ...
, which reigned over
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
for hundreds of years.
Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( ...
Franz Joseph I of Austria Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I (german: Franz Joseph Karl, hu, Ferenc József Károly, 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 2 December 1848 until ...
fell in love with Elisabeth at first sight, and she became the most beautiful Empress in the European Court at the age of 16. But she was tormented with friction against the
Royal court A royal court, often called simply a court when the royal context is clear, is an extended royal household in a monarchy, including all those who regularly attend on a monarch, or another central figure. Hence, the word "court" may also be appl ...
which valued tradition and formality, and she left
Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...
in the course of time, passing her days wandering around Europe where she was assassinated by
Luigi Lucheni Luigi Lucheni (April 22, 1873 – October 19, 1910) was an Italian anarchist and the assassin of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Early life Luigi Lucheni was born Louis Luccheni in Paris on April 22, 1873. His father, unknown, and his mother ...
at the end of her journey. Her life is veiled in mystery, and this musical solves it through the fictional existence of "Death" who obsesses and seduces her. This musical depicts the demise of the government by the Habsburg Empire in Central Europe and the germination of a new era.


Synopsis

The show opens in the "world of the dead", where Luigi Lucheni is being interrogated by a Judge as to why he has murdered the Empress Elisabeth. Lucheni claims that he did no more than what Elisabeth herself wanted, since all her life Elisabeth has been in love with Death himself – and vice versa. As his witnesses, Lucheni brings back the dead aristocracy of the bygone era and takes us to the past, where he serves as a sarcastic narrator of the events that lead to the transformation of the sweet and innocent Sisi to the revered and infamous Elisabeth, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, and her decline through later years until her assassination. At a young age, Sisi, grown up in a seemingly sorrowless environment, experiences her first encounter with Death, which launches a love–hate affair that will span her entire life. Lucheni claims that once Franz Joseph, the Emperor of Austria, picks Elisabeth as his bride – for once opposing his domineering mother Sophie – he begins a chain of events that will eventually topple the Habsburg Empire. Elisabeth herself very soon comes to regret her seemingly "fairy-tale marriage". She feels abandoned by her careless husband, psychologically abused by her possessive mother-in-law, and is chronically depressed due to her loneliness. There is only one thing that keeps her emotionally stimulated—the dark and sensual shadow of Death; but Elisabeth is reluctant to consummate their relationship. When Death takes her infant daughter, the tragedy shakes the young Empress extremely, but she refuses to give in to Death's sway. After her other two children, including her only son Rudolf, are taken away by Sophie, Elisabeth calluses over and becomes cold and selfish. She flees the Austrian court and spends decades restlessly travelling all over the world, trying in vain to escape from her fear of emptiness. Eventually, Elisabeth makes peace with her husband and finds new meaning in her life when she helps unify Austria and Hungary, but her newfound purpose makes her neglect her psychologically delicate son even further, sending young Rudolf into deep depression and causing him to bond with Death. Eventually, Rudolf's own loneliness and his father's pressure cause him to snap and he embraces Death, committing suicide at Mayerling with his mistress, Mary Vetsera. This event completely breaks down Elisabeth and she begs Death to take her. However, her scorned lover now refuses to take her in. Another decade goes by. Elisabeth still wanders from place to place, dressed in permanent mourning. Franz Joseph visits her from time to time, begging her to return home to Vienna, firmly believing that love is the answer to all sorrows, but Elisabeth refuses, citing that sometimes love is simply not enough to cure old wounds. Finally, in a horrifying vision of the fall of the House of Habsburg, Franz Joseph at last meets his mysterious rival. He watches as Death throws Lucheni a dagger, but crushed by the weight of his imperial crest, he is powerless to save his wife. On September 10, 1898, while on her way to board a ship in Geneva, Empress Elisabeth of Austria is mortally wounded, stabbed right in the heart with a crudely sharpened file. As she lies dying, Death comes to claim her spirit with a kiss. With their embrace, the show ends.


Principal characters

* Elisabeth, the Empress of Austria and later Queen of Hungary. Nickname is Sisi. Her birthplace is the
Kingdom of Bavaria The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German ...
in
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
. *
Death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
, the personification of the abstract concept of "
Death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
" or the "
Grim Reaper Death is frequently imagined as a personified force. In some mythologies, a character known as the Grim Reaper (usually depicted as a berobed skeleton wielding a scythe) causes the victim's death by coming to collect that person's soul. Other b ...
". His appearance is modeled on the poet
Heinrich Heine Christian Johann Heinrich Heine (; born Harry Heine; 13 December 1797 – 17 February 1856) was a German poet, writer and literary critic. He is best known outside Germany for his early lyric poetry, which was set to music in the form of '' Lied ...
who was fascinated by Elisabeth, and the rock singer
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
. *
Luigi Lucheni Luigi Lucheni (April 22, 1873 – October 19, 1910) was an Italian anarchist and the assassin of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Early life Luigi Lucheni was born Louis Luccheni in Paris on April 22, 1873. His father, unknown, and his mother ...
, an
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...
anarchist and Elisabeth's assassin. He plays the role of a plot device in the story. * Franz Joseph, the Emperor of Austria and later King of Hungary. Husband of Elisabeth. * Archduchess Sophie, Franz Joseph's autocratic mother. * Rudolf, Elisabeth and Franz Joseph's son. * Max, Prince of the Kingdom of Bavaria in Germany. Elisabeth's father. * Ludovika, Princess of the Kingdom of Bavaria in Germany. Elisabeth's mother and Sophie's younger sister. * Helene, Elisabeth's elder sister. *Countess Esterházy, the Mistress of the Household *Count Grünne, Franz Joseph's advisor * Cardinal Archbishop Rauscher, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Austria *Prince Schwarzenberg, the State Minister *Frau Wolf, the mistress of a brothel in Vienna


Production history

The world premiere of ''Elisabeth'', directed by Harry Kupfer, took place on September 3, 1992, at the
Theater an der Wien The is a historic theatre in Vienna located on the Left Wienzeile in the Mariahilf district. Completed in 1801, the theatre has hosted the premieres of many celebrated works of theatre, opera, and symphonic music. Since 2006, it has served prima ...
in
Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...
,
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, where it ran until January 1997. After a brief hiatus, it reopened on September 4, 1997. The final closing date was on April 25, 1998. In October 2002, a 10th Anniversary miniseries of concerts took place at the
Wiener Konzerthaus The Konzerthaus is a concert hall located in Vienna, Austria, which opened in 1913. It is situated in the third district just at the edge of the first district in Vienna. Since it was founded it has always tried to emphasise both traditional and ...
in Vienna. The Vienna production was revived on October 1, 2003, and ran until December 4, 2005.
Other productions have been mounted in the following countries. *
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
: The Takarazuka Grand Theatre (The
Takarazuka Revue The is a Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe based in Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Women play all roles in lavish, Broadway-style productions of Western-style musicals and stories adapted from films, novels, manga, and Jap ...
), Hyōgo ** February 16, 1996 - current *Japan: The
Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre is another home for Takarazuka Creative Arts in Yurakucho, Chiyoda ward, Tokyo. It served as the second round performing theater for the Revue's performing cycle. The original theater was built in 1934. It was taken over by the American GHQ ...
(The Takarazuka Revue),
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** June 3, 1996 - current *
Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Cr ...
: The Open-Air Theatre of Szeged,
Szeged Szeged ( , ; see also other alternative names) is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county seat of Csongrád-Csanád county. The University of Szeged is one of the m ...
** August 17, 1996 - September/October 1996 *Hungary: The Operetta Theatre (Budapesti Operett Színház),
Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population o ...
** October 5, 1996 - January 2005 ** July 2007 - *Hungary: The
National Theatre of Miskolc The National Theatre of Miskolc is the main theatre of Miskolc, and the oldest theatre company of Hungary. Its current Classicist and Neo-baroque building built between 1847 and 1857, is in the city centre, in Széchenyi street and is home to not ...
** Autumn 1999 - April 2001 *Hungary: Katona József National Theatre of Kecskemét ** October 2021 - *
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...
: Musiktheatern i Värmland,
Karlstad Karlstad (, ) is the 20th-largest city in Sweden, the seat of Karlstad Municipality, the capital of Värmland County, and the largest city in the province Värmland in Sweden. The city proper had 65,856 inhabitants in 2020 with 95,167 inhabita ...
** September 30, 1999 - January 9, 2000 *
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
: Fortis Circus Theatre (
Stage Entertainment Stage Entertainment is an international operating live entertainment company, a subsidiary of Advance Publications. The company was founded in 1998 by Joop van den Ende in Amsterdam. History The Netherlands / Corporate The root of the company l ...
),
Scheveningen Scheveningen is one of the eight districts of The Hague, Netherlands, as well as a subdistrict (''wijk'') of that city. Scheveningen is a modern seaside resort with a long, sandy beach, an esplanade, a pier, and a lighthouse. The beach is ...
** November 21, 1999 - July 22, 2001 *Japan: The
Toho is a Japanese film, theatre production and distribution company. It has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Osaka-based Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. Outside of Japan, it is best known as the producer ...
Company 1st version ** June 6 - August 30, 2000 – Imperial Theater, Tokyo ** March 30 - April 28, 2001 – Imperial Theater, Tokyo ** May 3–27, 2001 – Chunichi Theater,
Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most po ...
** August 3–31, 2001 –
Umeda Arts Theater is a Japanese theater located at Chayamachi Applause in Chayamachi, Kita-ku, Osaka, operated by Umeda Arts Theater Co., Ltd. It opened in 1992. Umeda Arts Theater Co., Ltd. is a member of Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group and a subsidiary of Hankyu Corp ...
,
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
** October 4–31, 2001 – Hakataza Theater,
Fukuoka is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since anc ...
*
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
: Colosseum Theater (Stage Entertainment),
Essen Essen (; Latin: ''Assindia'') is the central and, after Dortmund, second-largest city of the Ruhr, the largest urban area in Germany. Its population of makes it the fourth-largest city of North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne, Düsseldorf and Do ...
** March 22, 2001 - June 29, 2003 *Japan: The Toho Company 2nd version ** March 6 - May 30, 2004 – Imperial Theater, Tokyo ** August 1–30, 2004 – Chunichi Theater, Nagoya ** October 2–28, 2004 – Hakataza Theater, Fukuoka ** November 3 - December 12, 2004 – Umeda Arts Theater, Osaka ** September 1–30, 2005 – Imperial Theater, Tokyo ** May 3–28, 2006 – Nissay Theater, Tokyo ** August 3–28, 2008 – Chunichi Theater, Nagoya ** September 3–28, 2008 – Hakataza Theater, Fukuoka ** November 3 - December 25, 2008 – Nissay Theater, Tokyo ** January 8 - February 2, 2009 – Umeda Arts Theater, Osaka ** August 9 - October 30, 2010 – Imperial Theater, Tokyo. Toho "Elisabeth" 10th anniversary production ** May 9 - June 27, 2012 – Imperial Theater, Tokyo ** July 5–26, 2012 – Hakataza Theater, Fukuoka ** August 3–26, 2012 – Chunichi Theater, Nagoya ** September 1–28, 2012 – Umeda Arts Theater, Osaka *Germany:
Apollo Theater The Apollo Theater is a music hall at 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (Seventh Avenue) and Frederick Douglass Boulevard (Eighth Avenue) in the Harlem neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City. It is a ...
(Stage Holding/Stage Entertainment),
Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the Sw ...
** March 6, 2005 - September 17, 2006 *Germany:
Theater des Westens The Theater des Westens (Theatre of the West) is one of the most famous theatres for musicals and operettas in Berlin, Germany, located at 10–12 in Charlottenburg. It was founded in 1895 for plays. The present house was opened in 1896 and d ...
(Semmel Concerts/Premium Entertainment),
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** April 20 - September 27, 2008 ** October 2008 - April 2010 (toured throughout Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, and Austria. See tour dates below.) *
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
:
Miramare Miramare Castle ( it, Castello di Miramare; es, Castillo de Miramar; german: Schloss Miramar; sl, Grad Miramar) is a 19th-century castle direct on the Gulf of Trieste between Barcola and Grignano in Trieste, northeastern Italy. It was built ...
Castle,
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. Open-Air Concert Version. ** July 21–27, 2004; July 31 - August 6, 2005 *
Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bot ...
: Turun Kaupunginteatteri (The Municipal Theatre of Turku),
Turku Turku ( ; ; sv, Åbo, ) is a city and former capital on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Finland Proper (''Varsinais-Suomi'') and the former Turku and Pori Province (''Turun ja Porin lääni''; ...
** September 23, 2005 - December 30, 2006 *
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
: Thunersee,
Thun , neighboring_municipalities= Amsoldingen, Heiligenschwendi, Heimberg, Hilterfingen, Homberg, Schwendibach, Spiez, Steffisburg, Thierachern, Uetendorf, Zwieselberg , twintown = , website = www.thun.ch Thun (french: Thou ...
. Open-Air Theatre. ** July 19 - August 30, 2006 *Japan: Umeda Arts Theater, Osaka. Original Vienna Production. ** March 28 - April 30, 2007 *
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
: Samsung Electronics Hall,
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the Capital city, capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea ...
** February 9 - May 13, 2012 *
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
:
Raimund Theater The Raimund Theater is a theatre in the Mariahilf district of Vienna, Austria. Named after the Austrian dramatist Ferdinand Raimund, the theatre was built by an association of Viennese citizens and opened on 28 November 1893 with Raimund's play ...
,
Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...
. Elisabeth: 20th Anniversary Revival ** September 5, 2012 - February 1, 2014 *Japan: Elisabeth in Concert: 20th Anniversary ** October 15–22, 2012 – Umeda Arts Theater, Osaka **October 26–31, 2012 – Tokyu Orb Theater, Tokyo *South Korea: ** July 26 - September 7, 2013 –
Seoul Art Center The Seoul Arts Center, also referred to as SAC, is an arts complex in the Seocho-gu district of Seoul, in South Korea. It consists of five main buildings: the Opera House, with three auditoriums; the Music Hall, with two concert halls; the Ha ...
Opera House, Seoul ** September 14–15, 2013 – Busan Cultural Center,
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** October 19–20, 2013 – Seongsan Art Hall,
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*
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
: Shanghai Cultural Square,
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** December 9, 2014 - January 11, 2015 *Japan: The Toho Company 3rd version ** June 13 - August 26, 2015 – Imperial Theater, Tokyo ** June 28 - July 26, 2016 – Imperial Theater, Tokyo ** August 6 - September 4, 2016 – Hakataza Theater, Fukuoka ** September 11–30, 2016 – Umeda Arts Theater, Osaka ** October 8–23, 2016 – Chunichi Theater, Nagoya ** June 7 - August 26, 2019 – Imperial Theater, Tokyo ** April 9 - May 4, 2020 - Imperial Theater, Tokyo (cancelled due to COVID-19) ** May 11 - June 2, 2020 - Umeda Arts Theater, Osaka (cancelled due to COVID-19) ** June 10–28, 2020 - Misonoza Theater, Nagoya (cancelled due to COVID-19) ** July 6 - August 3, 2020 - Hakataza Theater, Fukuoka (cancelled due to COVID-19) ** October 9 - November 27, 2022 - Imperial Theater, Tokyo ** December 5–21, 2022 - Misonoza Theater, Nagoya ** December 29, 2022 - January 3, 2023 - Umeda Arts Theater, Osaka ** January 11–31, 2023 - Hakataza Theater, Nagoya *South Korea: Samsung Electronics Hall, Seoul ** June 13 - September 6, 2015 *European Tour: Germany & Austria ** February 26 - March 22, 2015 – Essen, Germany; Colosseum Theater ** March 26 - June 7, 2015 –
Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and ...
, Germany ** July 7 - August 9, 2015 –
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, Austria ** December 16, 2015 - January 3, 2016 –
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, Germany ** January 7 - February 14, 2016 – Berlin, Germany *Netherlands: Elisabeth in Concert ** June 12–17, 2017 – Paleis Het Loo,
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** June 8–24, 2018 – Paleis Soestdijk,
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*South Korea: Blue Square (theater), Seoul ** November 17, 2018 - February 10, 2019 *Austria: Open-air concert at
Schönbrunn Palace Schönbrunn Palace (german: Schloss Schönbrunn ; Central Bavarian: ''Schloss Scheenbrunn'') was the main summer residence of the Habsburg rulers, located in Hietzing, Vienna. The name ''Schönbrunn'' (meaning “beautiful spring”) has its root ...
** June 25–26, 2019 ** June 25–27, 2020 (cancelled due to COVID-19) ** July 1–3, 2021 (cancelled due to COVID-19) ** June 30 - July 2, 2022 (the play was canceled on July 1, 2022 due to the storm in the evening)


Song list

Additional songs have been added for some productions of ''Elisabeth'' that are not featured in all productions. Also the order of songs is often switched, which is the most noticeable between the German and the Viennese versions. This song list and order, with titles in English, is based upon the original Vienna production except where noted.
Act One: * ''Prologue'' (Prolog) - Judge, Lucheni, Death * ''Like You'' (Wie du) - Elisabeth, Max * ''Lovely to Have You All Here'' - (Schön, euch alle zu seh'n) Ludovika, Hélène, Family * ''No Coming Without Going'' (Kein Kommen ohne Geh'n) - Death (Hungarian, Japanese, 2012 and 2022 Vienna productions only (sung by Death and Elisabeth in 2012 and 2022 Vienna production)) * ''Black Prince'' (Schwarzer Prinz) - Elisabeth (originally a direct reprise of ''Like You'', rewritten for the Dutch premiere and subsequent productions, cut in 2012 Vienna production) * ''To Each He Gives His Own'' (Jedem gibt er das Seine) - Sophie, Franz-Joseph, the Court * ''Things Never Happen As Planned'' (So wie man plant und denkt...) - Lucheni, Sophie, Hélène, Elisabeth, Franz-Joseph * ''Nothing is Difficult Any More'' (Nichts ist schwer) - Franz-Joseph, Elisabeth * ''All Questions Have Been Asked'' (Alle Fragen sind gestellt) - Wedding Chorus (and Death in Japanese productions) * ''She Doesn't Fit'' (Sie passt nicht) - Sophie, Max, Wedding Guests * ''The Last Dance'' (Der letzte Tanz) - Death * ''An Empress Must Shine'' (Eine Kaiserin muss glänzen) - Sophie, Countess Esterházy, Ladies-in-Waiting * ''I Belong to Me'' (Ich Gehör Nur Mir) - Elisabeth * ''The First Four Years'' (Die Ersten Vier Jahre) - Lucheni, Elisabeth, Sophie, Ladies-in-Waiting, Franz-Joseph, The Court, Hungarians (finale completely rewritten for the Takarazuka production and partially for the Hungarian version.) * ''The Shadows Grow Longer'' (Die Schatten werden länger) (Preview) - Death * ''The Cheerful Apocalypse'' (Die fröhliche Apokalypse) - Lucheni, a Student, a Journalist, a Poet, a Bohemian, a Professor, coffeehouse patrons * ''Child or Not'' (Kind oder nicht) - Sophie, Countess Esterházy, Young Rudolf (appears from the German premiere and subsequent productions, except the Takarazuka production) * ''Elisabeth, Open Up My Angel'' (Elisabeth, mach auf mein Engel) - Franz-Joseph, Elisabeth, Death * ''Milk'' (Milch) - Lucheni, the Poor (and Death in the Takarazuka production) * ''Beauty Care'' (Schönheitspflege) - Countess Esterházy, Ladies-in-Waiting * ''I Just Want to Tell You'' (Ich will dir nur sagen) (''I Belong to Me'' Reprise) - Franz-Joseph, Elisabeth, Death (originally only Franz-Joseph and Elisabeth in the original Vienna and Hungarian productions)
Act Two: * ''Kitsch'' (Kitsch) - Lucheni * ''Éljen'' (which is Hungarian for "long live...") (Éljen) - Hungarian Crowds, Lucheni (andDeath in Japanese productions) * ''When I Want to Dance'' (Wenn ich tanzen will) - Death, Elisabeth (written for the German premiere and appears in subsequent productions, sans the Hungarian staging and omitted in Stage Entertainment productions) * ''Mama, Where Are You?'' (Mama, wo bist du?) - Young Rudolf, Death * ''Mama, Where Are You? (reprise)'' (Mama, wo bist du reprise) - Young Rudolf, Death (Original Dutch production only; the scene was inserted into the gap made by moving the earlier song into act one) * ''She Is Insane'' (Sie ist verrückt) - Elisabeth, Miss Windisch * ''Nothing, Nothing, Nothing at All'' (Nichts, nichts, gar nichts) - Elisabeth (originally a dance-sequence with Elisabeth as Titania from ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict a ...
'', missing the second half of the song in the Takarazuka production) * ''I Belong To Me'' (Ich Gehör Nur Mir reprise) - Elisabeth (Takarazuka productions only) * ''Us or Her'' (Wir oder sie) - Sophie, The Court * ''Don't Play the Prude'' (Nur kein Genieren) - Madame Wolf, Lucheni, Whores * ''The Last Chance (Or 'The Malady')'' (Die letzte Chance (Maladie)) - Death, Elisabeth * ''Between Dream and Reality'' (Zwischen Traum und Wirklichkeit) - Elisabeth (Toho 2000-2001 Japanese productions only, also recorded for the Stuttgart production cast recording, though not utilised in the actual show) *'' Argument between Mother and Son'' - Franz Josef & Sophie (Streit Mutter und Sohn) (proceeds Sophie's solo "Bellaira") * ''Bellaria'' (Bellaria) - Sophie (Primarily appeared in Hungarian and Japanese productions starting in 1996; Has been present in all productions since then, except for the Takarazuka production) * ''The Restless Years'' (Die rastlosen Jahre) - Franz-Joseph, The Court, Ladies-in-Waiting, Lucheni * ''Hunt'' (Jagd) - A sequence referencing Elisabeth's hunting trips in Europe in the original Viennese production (deleted in all but the Hungarian production) * ''The Shadows Grow Longer'' (Die Schatten werden länger (Reprise)) - Death, Rudolf * ''Argument Between Father and Son'' (Streit Vater & Sohn) - Rudolf, Franz Joseph (first seen in the Dutch and Essen productions, then inserted into the Viennese revival and subsequent German productions) * ''Hate'' (Hass) - Anti-Semites & Lucheni (cut from the Takarazuka productions due to controversial content) * ''Conspiracy'' (Verschwörung) - Rudolf, Hungarian Nationalists, Death(does not appear in the Vienna production; expanded for the Takarazuka version) * ''Like You'' (Wie du (Reprise)) - Elisabeth, Max's Ghost (does not appear in the Takarazuka production) * ''If I Were Your Mirror'' (Wenn ich dein Spiegel wär) - Rudolf, Elisabeth * ''The Mayerling Waltz'' (Mayerling-Walzer) - Rudolf, Death, Mary Vetsera (orchestrations expanded in the Takarazuka production since the Star Troupe 1996 performance and used for current productions) * ''Rudolf, Where Are You? (Dirge)'' (Rudolf, wo bist du? (Totenklage)) - Elisabeth (a duet with Sophie's Ghost in the Dutch and Hungarian productions) * ''No Coming Without Going'' (Kein Kommen ohne Geh'n Reprise) - Death (Takarazuka productions only) * ''My New Assortment'' (Mein neues Sortiment) (''Kitsch'' reprise) - Lucheni * ''Ships in the Night'' (Boote in der Nacht) - Elisabeth, Franz-Joseph * ''On the Deck of the Sinking World'' (Am Deck der sinkenden Welt) - Lucheni, Death, Franz-Joseph, the Habsburgs (Missing first half of the song in the Takarazuka stagings) * ''The Veil Descends'' (Der Schleier fällt) - Elisabeth, Death * ''Closing Music'' (Schlussapplaus) - Instrumental (Length and assortment of themes vary from production to production)


CD and DVD releases

, there have been a total of at least twenty-five cast albums, complete works, demos, and promotional albums/singles, as well as eight commercial DVDs of the show, released to the public. These releases do not include countless other artists' solo albums and special compilations that also feature songs from the musical. Listed here are a few from the more mainstream, or better-known, productions.
VIENNA 1992 Elisabeth — original cast recording ''(Originalaufnahmen aus dem Musical Elisabeth)''
''Elisabeth:
Pia Douwes Pia Douwes (born 5 August 1964) is a Dutch actress in musical theatre in Europe. She is best known for having created the title role in the German-language musical '' Elisabeth''. Biography Douwes was born in Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherl ...
, Der Tod:
Uwe Kröger Uwe Kröger (; born 4 December 1964 in Hamm, West Germany) is a musical star in the German-speaking countries of the world. Besides starring on stage, Kröger has taken part in galas and concerts, as well as making television and film appearance ...
, Luigi Lucheni: Ethan Freeman''
Producer –
Jimmy Bowien Jimmy Bowien (born 5 February 1933 in Prussia) is a record producer, songwriter and composer. He started playing the piano at the age of 5 and studied classical music to become a professional opera singer (Baritone). After graduating in Hamburg- ...

Polydor GMBH - 513 792-2
VIENNA 1996 Elisabeth — complete live recording ''(Live aus dem Theater an der Wien Gesamtaufnahme des Musicals Elisabeth)''
''Elisabeth: Maya Hakvoort, Der Tod: Addo Kruizinga, Luigi Lucheni: Bruno Grassini''
Polydor GMBH - 531 481-2 *On 19 and 20 January 1996, a complete live recording was made of the original Vienna run.
SCHEVENINGEN 1999 Elisabeth — original Dutch cast album
''Elisabeth: Pia Douwes, De Dood: Stanley Burleson, Luigi Luicheni: Wim van den Driessche''
Polydor - 543 335-2
ESSEN 2001 Elisabeth — original German cast album (''Highlights der deutschen Urauffürung im Colosseum Theater Essen)''
''Elisabeth: Pia Douwes, Der Tod: Uwe Kröger, Luigi Lucheni: Carsten Lepper''
Polydor GMBH - 549 800-2
VIENNA 2004 Elisabeth — Revival cast recording (''Aktuelles Cast Album, Wien)''
''Elisabeth: Maya Hakvoort, Der Tod: Máté Kamarás, Luigi Luicheni: Serkan Kaya''
HitSquad Records 6680530
VIENNA 2005 Elisabeth — complete live recording'' (Gesamtaufnahme live aus dem Theater an der Wien)''
''Elisabeth: Maya Hakvoort, Der Tod: Máté Kamarás, Luigi Luicheni: Serkan Kaya, Kaiser Franz Joseph: André Bauer, Erzherzogin Sophie: Else Ludwig, Erzherzog Rudolf: Fritz Schmid''
HitSquad Records 668262 *On 30 and 31 October 2005, a complete live recording of the Vienna Revival was made. A more popular item among fans is a DVD of the show recorded on these same two nights. A November 2007 release of the same live recording in widescreen spread over 2 DVDs also boasts a 1-disc companion with a short history of backstage interviews, pictures, and production videos from the last thirteen years of the musical, subtitled in English and Japanese. *CDs and DVDs have also been released for each of the nine Japanese productions of the
Takarazuka Revue The is a Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe based in Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Women play all roles in lavish, Broadway-style productions of Western-style musicals and stories adapted from films, novels, manga, and Jap ...
since 2016, and additionally for the Japanese 10th anniversary concert in February 2006. A CD has been released for the Vienna 10th anniversary concert which was staged in 2002.


Notes

* The Vienna Revival also went on to tour Japan in 2007. It opened in
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
at the Umeda Arts Theatre on March 28, 2007, and showed 40 performances through April 30, 2007. On May 7, 2007, the production opened (in concert version) at the Koma Stadium Theatre in Tokyo. The Japan Tour of the Vienna Revival run ended on May 20, 2007. * For two consecutive summers, these special, week-long invitational concerts were held by the historic
Miramare Miramare Castle ( it, Castello di Miramare; es, Castillo de Miramar; german: Schloss Miramar; sl, Grad Miramar) is a 19th-century castle direct on the Gulf of Trieste between Barcola and Grignano in Trieste, northeastern Italy. It was built ...
Castle to promote the Vienna Revival. These performances were held during the show's annual summer pause, and several cast members from the Vienna Revival participated. The concerts were performed in German and Italian. * ''Elisabeth'' premiered in the Hungarian language at The Open-Air Theatre of Szeged in August 1996. The Budapest production that premiered at The Operetta Theatre in October 1996, took over the repertoire for the previous Open-Air production. Between the years of 1996 and 2005, with allowance for casting changes and the use of the theatre's space for other various events, subsequent productions were held (including the Miskolc run). The Hungarian production has a running history of eight years, the longest running, un-interrupted ''Elisabeth'' production in the world. **A new production of the musical with a partially new cast opened at the Operetta Theatre in Budapest in July 2007. Since then, ''Elisabeth'' enjoys a regular run at The Operetta Theatre. * Since 1996, the musical has been performed at least once by each of the five troupes of the all-female Japanese
Takarazuka Revue The is a Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe based in Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Women play all roles in lavish, Broadway-style productions of Western-style musicals and stories adapted from films, novels, manga, and Jap ...
. **Yukigumi/Snow Troupe- The Takarazuka Grand Theatre (February 16 - March 25, 1996); The Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre (June 3–30, 1996) ***Reprise: The Takarazuka Grand Theatre (May 4 - June 18, 2007); The Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre (July 6 - August 12, 2007) **Hoshigumi/Star Troupe- The Takarazuka Grand Theater (November 8 - December 16, 1996); The Tokyo Takarazuka Theater (March 4–31, 1997) **Soragumi/Cosmos Troupe- The Takarazuka Grand Theater (October 30 - December 20, 1998); The 1000 Days Theater (February 19 - March 29, 1999) **Hanagumi/Flower Troupe- The Takarazuka Grand Theater (October 4 - November 18, 2002); The Tokyo Takarazuka Theater (January 2 - February 9, 2003) ***Reprise: The Takarazuka Grand Theatre (July 22 - August 22, 2014); The Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre (October 11 - November 16, 2014) **Tsukigumi/Moon Troupe- The Takarazuka Grand Theater (February 4 - March 21, 2005); The Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre (April 28 - May 22, 2005) ***Reprise: The Takarazuka Grand Theatre (May 22 - June 22, 2009); The Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre (July 10 - August 9, 2009) *After its run in Berlin, the Semmel Concerts production of ''Elisabeth'' proceeded to tour Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, and Austria. Dates for the Semmel Concerts Tour are as follows: **Zurich-Oerlikon, Switzerland- Theater 11 (October 17, 2008 - January 4, 2009) **Antwerp, Belgium- Stadsschouburg Antwerpen (March 22 - April 19, 2009) **Munich, Germany- Deutsches Theater (October 21 - December 12, 2009) **Frankfurt, Germany- Alte Oper (December 18, 2009 - January 14, 2010) **Bremen, Germany- Musical Theater Bremen (January 19 - February 14, 2010) **Bregenz, Austria- Festspielhaus (February 24 - March 10, 2010) **Düsseldorf, Germany - Capitol Theater (March 18 - April 25, 2010) *After its run in Seoul, Interpark revealed other cities EMK Musical Company's 2013 production of the Korean version of ''Elisabeth'' will travel to and perform in South Korea. Dates are as follows: **
Busan Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea ...
, South Korea- Busan Cultural Center (September 14–15, 2013) **
Daegu Daegu (, , literally 'large hill', 대구광역시), formerly spelled Taegu and officially known as the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea. It is the third-largest urban agglomeration in South Korea after Seoul and Busan; it is ...
, South Korea- Keimyung Art Center (September 21–22, 2013) **
Gwangju Gwangju () is South Korea's sixth-largest metropolis. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister. The city was also the capital of South Jeolla Province until the provincial offic ...
, South Korea- Gwangju Culture & Art Center (September 28–29, 2013) **
Changwon Changwon () is the capital city of Gyeongsangnam-do, on the southeast coast of South Korea. With a population of 1.07 million , Changwon is South Korea's ninth-most populous city. A port city, Changwon is bordered by Masan Bay to the south, ...
, South Korea- Sungsan Art Hall (October 19–20, 2013)


References


External links


Stacy's Musicals: Elisabeth info page (English)

Website for the current Semmel Concerts production in Berlin (German)

Official website for the Budapest Operetta Theatre (Hungarian & English)

Official English website for the Vienna Revival production (German & English)


* ttp://kageki.hankyu.co.jp/elisabeth2014/ Official website for the 2014 Takarazuka production (Japanese)
Official website for the Toho production of Japanese Elisabeth (Japanese)

Official fan club for the Stage Entertainment production in Stuttgart (German)

Official Thunerseespiele website for the Swiss production- Videos and Picture Gallery only (German)

Official website for the original Stage Entertainment production in Scheveningen (Dutch)

Official website for EMK Musical Company's production of "Korea's Elisabeth: The Elisabeth in Korea" (Korean)
{{Kunze and Levay 1992 musicals Musicals inspired by real-life events Biographical musicals Musicals by Michael Kunze Musicals by Sylvester Levay Sung-through musicals Cultural depictions of Empress Elisabeth of Austria Cultural depictions of Franz Joseph I of Austria Fiction about personifications of death German musicals