The Magic Mountain

Healing mountain air, breathtaking views, sumptuous meals and lazy relaxation in a deck chair? The international Berghof sanatorium, in the heart of the Swiss Alps, offers all this—if only you can protect yourself from the lung infection sweeping Europe on the eve of war. Unaware of any danger, aspiring engineer Hans Castorp arrives at the Swiss resort to recover after his university final exams and visit his ailing cousin. Yet, as he lies on the balcony enjoying the fabulous views of the Swiss Alps, he has no idea that he will fall in love with a patient from Dagestan and be drawn into a clash between two civilisations—one that will not only destroy the Europe he knows, but also reveal that more dangerous than any infectious disease is the spiritual frailty of the individual.

The dramatic material for the production is based on the novel of the same name by German literary classic Thomas Mann, a Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. It is considered one of Europe’s most significant literary works of the 20th century.

The production received the 2024/2025 “Spēlmaņu nakts” award in the category: The production received 2024/2025 “Spēlmaņu nakts” nominations in the categories:

The production was created with the support of the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation during Valmiera Theatre’s 2024/2025 season.

With the Foundation’s support, the following productions reached audiences in the 2026/2027 season: Fear and Misery of the Third Reich (director Indra Roga); in the 2025/2026 season: The Evil Spirit (director Inese Mičule), Medea (director Reinis Suhanovs), You Will Be Mine! (director Jānis Znotiņš), Skroderdienas Silmačos (director Elmārs Seņkovs). In the 2024/2025 season: Romeo and Juliet (director Inese Mičule), Blue (director Māra Ķimele), Sprīdītis (director Reinis Suhanovs), Four White Shirts (director Jānis Znotiņš) and The Magic Mountain (director Toms Treinis).

The friendship between the theatre and the Foundation began in the 2023/2024 season, the theatre’s centenary year, when four classics of Latvian drama were staged: Valmiera Boys (director Jānis Znotiņš), The Widow’s Son (director Viesturs Roziņš), as well as Joseph and His Brothers (director Inese Mičule) and The Prodigal Son (director Reinis Suhanovs), which received particular acclaim from audiences and critics.

Photos: Jānis Šatrovskis, Uģis Brālēns