NESTROY-Prize 2024

Martin Thomas Pesl writes for the jury:

“On the basis of meticulous research and with musical finesse, the Vienna Volksoper relentlessly revisits its own Nazi history on the occasion of its 125th anniversary. Formally, Theu Boermans' piece is a drama in the context of which - and this is what makes it special - an operetta is performed, namely Gruß und Kuss aus der Wachau by Jara Beneš, which was actually rehearsed at the Volksoper in 1938 around the time of Hitler's invasion of Austria. The shallow love monzette is shown scene by scene in the version by the young composer Keren Kagarlitsky. In between, we see how the director, author, artistic director and conductor, some of whom are Jewish, worry. And rightly so. As soon as the Nazis arrive, the cast is changed. The further fates of the expellees are portrayed in the background in black and white film footage and sound clips, for which the evening takes a remarkable amount of time, while the escapist Singspiel continues relentlessly at the front. Goosebumps!”