A multinational polar comedy set to music (2012/13)
Libretto by Constantin von Castenstein
commissioned by Theater Aachen
Cast:
The Thawed Princess (soprano)
Pi Ling, Chinese polarologist (coloratura soprano)
Bernadette Blanchard, French doctor (mezzo-soprano)
Ralf Schneupel, German expedition leader (tenor)
Severinho Sousa da Silva, Brazilian mechanic (tenor)
Trésor Kalombo, climatologist from Ivory Coast (tenor)
Chuck Jackson, US secret service agent (baritone)
Vlad Shnukhov, Russian genetic engineer (baritone)
Vitaly Shnukhov, Russian genetic engineer (bass)
Eisbären (male choir: tenors, basses)
Orchestra:
2(2nd also Picc. and Afl.) 2(2nd also Eh.) 2(2nd also Bcl.) 2(2nd also Cbs.) - 4 2 3 1 - Timp. Perc.(2) Cel.(also Hpsch.) Str.
Duration: approx. 90 min
Premiere December 8, 2013, Theater Aachen, main stage
Conductor: Christoph Breidler
Director: Anna Malunat
Stage design: Geelke Gaycken
Costume design: Mona Ulrich
Chorus Master: Andreas Klippert
Dramaturgy: Michael Dühn
Somewhere in the eternal ice of Greenland (or what's left of it), sometime in the distant future, a multinational research team is looking for a safe place to store genetic samples from extinct animals and plants. Suddenly, the scientists come across a huge cavity in the ice and find a frozen woman inside, apparently from another era. She soon turns out to be an extraordinarily beautiful princess who has fallen out of time and leaves neither the cheerful Russians Vlad and Vitaly nor Kalombo, the climatologist, indifferent. Now it's getting busy and not only the ladies of the expedition have to dress warmly...