Elisabeth

Book and lyrics by Michael Kunze
Music and orchestration by Sylvester Levay
Libretto and songs translated into Lithuanian by Viktorija Streiča and Kristina Siurbytė
Premiere: 25 February 2022

Many have danced with Death, but no one like Elisabeth!

“Elisabeth” is a musical created in German about Empress Elisabeth (Elżbieta, better known as Sisi), the wife of Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph I (Franz Jozeph I), a member of the Habsburg dynasty. During her lifetime, she was regarded as one of Europe’s most beautiful aristocrats. At the heart of the story is Elisabeth’s lifelong “flirtation” with Death, who appears here in the guise of a charming young man called Death.

Elisabeth was known as an eccentric empress who constantly sought personal independence through means considered drastic at the time. Her pursuit of independent self-expression placed great strain on those closest to her: her husband, who loved her unconditionally, and her son, Prince Rudolf, who died by suicide at the age of 30 alongside his 17-year-old beloved.

The complicated and dramatic story is told from beyond the grave by Luigi Lucheni, the Italian anarchist who murdered Elisabeth in 1898. He tries to turn the audience against her and portray her as promiscuous, but ultimately leaves viewers free to decide for themselves what kind of person this tormented woman of noble birth was.

The musical premiered in Vienna in 1992 and brought great success to singers Pia Douwes, who played Elisabeth, and Uwe Kröger, who played Death. They became two of the most prominent performers in European musical theatre. Another production of “Elisabeth” that attracted considerable attention was staged by the Japanese musical theatre company “Takarazuka Revue”. The company was distinguished by having an all-female cast, with women portraying characters of both sexes.

The musical has toured the world and inspired numerous directorial interpretations. New productions may include new songs or omit some plotlines, depending on how familiar audiences in each country are with Empress Elisabeth’s life story. The cast includes theatre performers and guest soloists, as well as members of the theatre choir and ballet.