The Seefestspiele Mörbisch, originally: Seespiele Mörbisch, is an annual

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs and including dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, and length of the work. Apart from its shorter length, the oper ...

festival A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...

in Mörbisch am See (Austria). With around 150,000 visitors, the Mörbisch Lake Festival is the world's largest festival of the operetta genre. In addition to operettas, classical

musicals Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...

are also performed on an irregular basis. Above all, the natural scenery of Neusiedler See is always incorporated into the stage set. The area is very flat, so transmission technology specially developed for the Lake Festival is used.

History

SFM-Ballett Tarantelle-Eine Nacht in Venedig

Economic-touristic foundations

The creation and development of the Seespiele Mörbisch was dominated by considerations of tourism policy. When, from 1953 onwards, efforts were made to develop Burgenland's tourism and to transform the ''visiting and transit area'' into a place to stay and relax, Lake Neusiedl and the lakeside communities were at the centre of these efforts. In the municipality of Mörbisch am See, the road between

Rust Rust is an iron oxide, a usually reddish-brown oxide formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the catalytic presence of water or air moisture. Rust consists of hydrous iron(III) oxides (Fe2O3·nH2O) and iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH) ...

and Mörbisch was extended with strong support from the tourism department, an 1800 m long lake dam, which opened up Lake Neusiedl to visitors from Mörbisch, was built and a lido was constructed. Mörbisch became the fourth important tourist community on the lake, alongside Rust,

Neusiedl am See Neusiedl am See (; ; ; ; ) is a town in Burgenland, Austria, and administrative center of the district of Neusiedl am See. Neusiedl am See is located on the northern shore of Lake Neusiedl. Geography Neusiedl am See is located in eastern Au ...

and

Podersdorf am See Podersdorf am See () is a market town in the district of Neusiedl am See in Burgenland in the east of Austria on the shore of the Neusiedler See. It is home to a windmill and lake (pictured below). The town is a local center of tourism with gen ...

. In 1956, the people of Mörbisch invited to a two-day ''Seefest''. Together with the , the community organised a so-called ''Night and Lake Festival'', which was attended by 6000 guests. The programme offered night rides in decorated motorboats, music was provided by dance bands, Viennese artists performed a complete cabaret programme, and folk song and dance groups also performed. In 1957, the Burgenland press announced the first highlight of the development of Mörbisch into a Burgenland tourist centre through the construction of a lakeside hotel.. und der Abhaltung von Seespielen an und damit verbunden den Beginn eines neuen Abschnitts burgenländischen Wirtschafts- und Kulturaufstiegs.

Foundation, technical equipment

The initiative for the ''Seespiele'', founded in the years 1955–1957, came from the celebrated chamber singer Herbert Alsen (among others) at the

Vienna State Opera The Vienna State Opera (, ) is a historic opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by ...

(1906–1978), who, together with his wife, the costume designer Gisela Bossert (†2012), who had worked in Berlin, discovered the venue by chance while looking for a holiday location that was climatically conducive to his voice, and whom ''the peculiar musicality of this landscape'' permanently touched. Alsen's plans found favour with the municipal council of Mörbisch as well as with the representative of the province, (1899–1974), especially as the project fitted into the tourism concept of the municipality and the province, and Alsen subsequently agreed to take over the directorship of the ''Seespiele'' for an initial period of five years (with reference to possible competition with the

Bregenz Festival Bregenzer Festspiele (; Bregenz Festival) is a performing arts festival which is held every July and August in Bregenz in Vorarlberg (Austria). It features a large floating stage which is situated on Lake Constance. History The Festival becam ...

s), stressing that the ''Seespiele'' in Mörbisch did not want to be a ''festival'' that would add to the ''excessive number of festival venues''. After two years of preparation, the opening took place on 6 July 1957 with the operetta ''

The Gypsy Baron ''The Gypsy Baron'' () is an operetta in three acts by Johann Strauss II which premiered at the Theater an der Wien on 24 October 1885. Its German libretto by Ignaz Schnitzer is based on the unpublished 1883 story ''Saffi'' by Mór Jókai. Jokai ...

'' by Johann Strauss II. The lake stage was built in a bay next to the Mörbisch bathing beach on many hundreds of piles according to the plans of architect (1915–2008), the designer of the first Bregenz lake stage. Its dimensions were 42 by 20 m; the auditorium, created by filling in the lake, contained 1,500''25 Jahre Seespiele Mörbisch''
In ''Burgenländische Freiheit''. vol. 51, nr. 31, 1981, .Also: ''The auditorium offers space for 1,800 visitors''. – Se
''Mörbisch am See: New centre of tourism. The new lakeside hotel nears completion – 6 July: Opening of the Seespiele – Sacrifice and idealism at work.(...) Seespiele in Mörbisch''
In ''Burgenländische Freiheit''. vol. 27, no. 26, 1957, , column 3 centre. Seating capacity. After an extension in 1959, 3000 people could be accommodated. Today the auditorium has over 6000 seats. In the following years, due to the great audience response, there were constant expansions, both in terms of the number of performances and the size of the auditorium and stage. From an initial six performances with about 7000 spectators (1957), the number increased to over 30 performances in July and August. In 2006, a new sound system developed by the and also in use at the

was put into operation. This makes directional listening possible despite the size of the stage. For several years the premiere of the Seefestspiele was broadcast by the ORF. With the 2013 season, however, this practice was ended. In 2018, specially staged performances for children were shown for the first time. A one-hour adaptation of '' Countess Mariza'' was shown in June 2018 on a stage set up on the festival grounds for a total of six performances. Up to 250 children were seated at each performance, and visitors were also given the opportunity to sing and dance along. The aim was to bring operetta closer to the children. The same soloists were on stage as in the regular performances. As part of the , the Seefestspiele received the prize for the best youth and children's musical theatre production for ''Land of Smiles for Children''.

Director of the Mörbisch Lake Festival since its foundation

* 1957–1978: Herbert Alsen (intendant), Franziska Schurli (December 1919, 21 January 1984) (managing Director) * 1979–1980:

Fred Liewehr Fred Liewehr (1909–1993) was an Austrian stage and film actor.von Dassanowsky p.87 Partial filmography * ''Jana, das Mädchen aus dem Böhmerwald'' (1935) - Michael * '' Immortal Waltz'' (1939) - Johann Strauß Sohn * ''Brüderlein fein'' (194 ...

(artistic director), Franziska Schurli (managing director)''Burgenländische Festspiele: Four venues - two artistic directors''
In ''Burgenländische Freiheit'', vol. 49, no. 10, 1979, . * 1981–1983: Franziska Schurli (artistic director and managing director) * 1984–1989: (artistic director) Heinrich Meyer (managing director) * 1990–1992: (intendant), Josef Wiedenhofer (managing director). * 1993–2012: Harald Serafin (artistic director), Dietmar Posteiner (managing director). * 2013–2017: Dagmar Schellenberger (artistic director), Dietmar Posteiner (managing director) * since 2018: Peter Edelmann. (artistic director), Dietmar Posteiner (managing director), since 2021 additionally as General Music Director of Burgenland. From 1995 to 2008,

Rudolf Bibl Rudolf Bibl (4 May 1929 – 27 January 2017) was an Austrian conductor and pianist. Life Born in Vienna, parallel to attending a Gymnasium (Germany), Gymnasium, Bibl studied piano, clarinet, composition at the Wiener Musikakademie and attended ...

was

musical director A music director, musical director or director of music is a person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert ...

, and was appointed honorary member of the festival in 2013.''Rudolf Bibl first honorary member of Mörbisch''
Article from 12 July 2013, retrieved 25 July 2021.

Performances, artists

Performances

With a total of twelve seasons, ''

'' is by far the most frequently performed operetta in Mörbisch. The 2020 Festival had to be cancelled due to the

COVID-19 pandemic in Austria The COVID-19 pandemic in Austria was a part of the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). In Austria, a pair of cases were confirmed on 2 ...

. The production of ''West Side Story'' planned for 2020 was postponed to 2021. The stage decoration includes a 14 m high Statue of Liberty and the typical Manhattan brick buildings with fire escape, water elevator and neon advertising sign ''Nylon'' on the roof.

Artists who have performed so far

* Marina Alsen, 1964, 1967, 2015 * Anja-Nina Bahrmann, 2006 * Sari Barabas, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1967 * Rosy Barsony, 1967 * erena Barth-Jurca, 2015, 2016 * Erwin Belakowitsch, 2013, 2014 * Helmut Berger-Tuna">Erwin_Belakowitsch.html" ;"title="erena Barth-Jurca, 2015, 2016 * Erwin Belakowitsch">erena Barth-Jurca, 2015, 2016 * Erwin Belakowitsch, 2013, 2014 * Helmut Berger-Tuna, 1998, 2000 * Rupert Bergmann, 2013, 2014 * Alfred Böhm, 1977, 1982 * Henryk Böhm, 2013 * Kurt Böhme, 1975 * Christian Boesch, 1969 * Jochen Brockmann, 1976 * Rudolf Carl, 1959, 1964, 1968 * Heinz Conrads, 1971 * Rudolf Christ, 1967, 1968 * Dorothea Chryst, 1974 * Ciro de Luca, 2010 * Karl Dönch, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1980 * Rui dos Santos, 2013, 2016 * Nigel Douglas. 1964 *

Felix Dvorak Felix may refer to: * Felix (name), people and fictional characters with the name Places * Arabia Felix is the ancient Latin name of Yemen * Felix, Spain, a municipality of the province Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, ...

, 1978, 1981 * Peter Edelmann, 1996 * Gerhard Ernst, 1991, 2004, 2014, 2017 * Heinz Ehrenfreund, 1976, 1980 *

Richard Eybner Richard Eybner (3 March 1896 – 20 June 1986) was an Austrian actor at the theatre and in films. Selected filmography * ''Purpur und Waschblau'' (1931) - Kabinettsrat Traunstadt * '' Die große Liebe'' (1931) * '' When You're Young, the World B ...

, 1975 * Sieglinde Feldhofer, 2010, 2012, 2017 * Rainhard Fendrich, 2008 * Günther Frank, 1972, 1973 * Harry Friedauer, 1959 *

Gail Gilmore Gail Gilmore ( Gerber, October 4, 1937 – March 2, 2014) was a Canadian television and film actress. She was from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. She was sometimes known as Gail Gibson. Dancing career In 1952, at age 15, she became a member of L ...

, 1979, 1981 * Franz Glawatsch jun., 1957, 1958, 1959 *

Walter Goldschmidt Walter Rochs Goldschmidt (February 24, 1913 – September 1, 2010) was an American anthropologist. Goldschmidt was of German descent, born in San Antonio, Texas, on February 24, 1913, to Hermann and Gretchen Goldschmidt. He earned a bachelor's deg ...

, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 * Hugo Gottschlich, 1978, 1979 *

Kurt Großkurth Kurt Großkurth (or Grosskurth; 11 May 1909 – 29 May 1975) was a German actor and singer. Biography Grosskurth was born in Langenselbold, Germany, in 1909. He grew up in Rhineland-Palatinate. In the 1920s, he followed his father's wish and we ...

, 1970, 1971 * Ingrid Habermann, 1999, 2013, 2014 *

Harry Hardt Harry Hardt (born Hermann Karl Viktor Klimbacher Edler von Reichswahr, Pula, 4 August 1899 – Vienna, 14 November 1980) was an Austrian actor. The son of a military officer, he initially planned a military career for himself, studying at a mili ...

, 1976 *

Johannes Heesters Johan Marius Nicolaas Heesters (5 December 1903 – 24 December 2011), known professionally as Johannes Heesters, was a Dutch-German actor of stage, television and film, as well as a vocalist of numerous recordings and performer on the conce ...

, 1973''„Viktoria und ihr Husar“ siegten über den Sturm und die Kälte''
In ''Burgenländische Freiheit'', vol. 43, nr. 31, 1973, . * Robert Herzl, 1974 * Sylvia Holzmayer, 1977 * Kurt Huemer, 1977, 1978, 1979 * Mirjana Irosch, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1987, 1993, 1995, 2005 * Gundula Janowitz, 1987 * Peter Josch, 1979 * Elisabeth Kales, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1993 * Marko Kathol, 2004, 2006, 2010 * Waldemar Kmentt, 1980 * Dagmar Koller, 1977, 1982, 1985 * Ossy Kolmann, 1974, 1976, 1988 *

Johannes Martin Kränzle Johannes Martin Kränzle (born 1962) is a German baritone in opera and concert who has made an international career. For years a member of the Oper Frankfurt, he was chosen as Singer of the Year in 2011 after creating the leading role in Wolfgan ...

, 1995 * Horst Lamnek, 2017, 2018 * Peter Lesiak 2016 * Marika Lichter, 1998 *

, 1977 * Herbert Lippert, 1994, 2012, 2015 *

Helmut Lohner Helmuth Lohner (24 April 1933 – 23 June 2015) was an Austrian actor, theatre director, and from 1997 to 2006 director of the Theater in der Josefstadt. Early life Born in Vienna, Lohner initially trained as a commercial artist, while also tak ...

, 2009, 2012 * Guggi Löwinger, 1960, 1970, 1971, 1973 * Mark Roy Luykx, 2021 *

Michael Maertens Michael Maertens (born 30 October 1963) is a German actor. He appeared in more than forty films since 1988. His grandfather Willy Maertens was also an actor. Selected filmography References External links * * 1963 births Living pe ...

, 2009 * Sigrid Martikke, 1973, 1974, 1975 * Iva Mihanovic, 2007 * Peter Minich, 1974, 1976, 1978 * Corneliu Murgu, 1980 * Nera Nicol, 1973 *

Klaus Ofczarek Klaus Ofczarek (17 March 1939 – 6 December 2020) was an Austrian tenor opera singer and actor. Filmography *''Tempo'' (1996) *''Inspector Rex'' (1996–2003) *''Stockinger'' (1997) *''Die Neue – Eine Frau mit Kaliber'' (1998) *''Drei Herren'' ...

, 1969 * Helga Papouschek, 1965, 1976, 1978 * Stephan Paryla, 2003, 2014 * Barbara Payha, 1997 * Olaf Plassa, 2013, 2014 * Linda Plech, 2011, 2013 * Herbert Prikopa, 1958, 1988, 1991, 1992 * Joesi Prokopetz, 2015 * Elena Puszta, 2015, 2017 * Else Rambausek, 1959, 1961, 1963 * Sebastian Reinthaller, 1998 * Elfriede Ramhapp, 1958, 1974 * Alexandra Reinprecht, 2010, 2012 * Mirko Roschkowski, 2013, 2015 *

Helge Rosvaenge Helge Rosvaenge (born Helge Anton Rosenvinge Hansen, 29 August 189717 June 1972) was a Danish-born operatic tenor whose career was centred on Germany and Austria, before, during and after World War II. His last name is sometimes spelled Roswaenge ...

, 1958 * Lotte Rysanek, 1958Awecker et al.: ''Theatergeschichte des Burgenlandes'', S. 266. * Johannes Schauer, 1980 * Dagmar Schellenberger, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 * Vera Schoenenberg, 2002 * Marianne Schönauer, 1970, 1989, 1990 * Ingeborg Schöpf, 2008 *

Gretl Schörg Gretl Schörg (17 January 1914 – 4 January 2006) was an Austrian operatic soprano and actress. She was particularly known for her performances in operettas. Her signature roles included Dodo in '' Wedding Night in Paradise'', Josepha Vogelhube ...

, 1976 * Margit Schramm, 1971 * Nikolai Schukoff, 2004 * Friedrich-W. Schwardtmann, 2003, 2007, 2010 * Paul Schweinester, 2017 * Daniel Serafin, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 * Harald Serafin, 1969, 2012 * Martina Serafin, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000 * Tiberius Simu, 2010 * Franziska Stanner, 2013, 2014 * Ulrike Steinsky, 1988, 1989, 1994 * Rudolf Strobl, 1978 * Ernst-Dieter Suttheimer, 1981, 2015 * Helga Thieme, 1980 * Maria Tiboldi, 1972 *

Vico Torriani Ludovico Oxens Torriani (21 September 1920 – 25 February 1998) was a Swiss actor and '' Schlager'' singer. Biography Born in Geneva to a family of Lombard origin, Torriani grew up in St. Moritz where he trained as a cook and pastry chef, a ...

, 1972 * Jeffrey Traganza, 2015, 2016 * Natalia Ushakova, 2003 *

Ljuba Welitsch Ljuba Welitsch (''Veličkova''; 10 July 1913 – 1 September 1996) was an operatic soprano. She was born in Borisovo, Bulgaria, studied in Sofia and Vienna, and sang in opera houses in Austria and Germany in the late 1930s and early and mid ...

, 1969, 1970, 1971 * Vida Mikneviciute, 2018 * Karl Winkler, 1957 * Roman Payer, 2018 * Andreja Zidaric, 2021 * Grete Zimmer, 1978, 1979

Notes and references

Notes

References

Sources * Maria Awecker, Sabine Schmall, Heinz Hischenhuber (ed.), Margret Dietrich (ed.): ''Theatergeschichte des Burgenlandes von 1921 bis zur Gegenwart''. Theatergeschichte Österreichs, vol. 8: ''Burgenland'', fascicule 2, .

Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften The Austrian Academy of Sciences (; ÖAW) is a legal entity under the special protection of the Republic of Austria. According to the statutes of the Academy its mission is to promote the sciences and humanities in every respect and in every fi ...

Press, Vienna 1995, �
table of content (PDF)

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Seefestspiele Morbisch Music festivals in Austria Festivals in Vorarlberg Tourist attractions in Burgenland 1957 establishments in Austria Music festivals established in 1957 Opera festivals