DomStufen-Festspiele in Erfurt 2005
This smash-hit musical marks the first major success of Andrew Lloyd Webber (*1948) — before Evita, Cats, and The Phantom of the Opera. But Jesus Christ Superstar is no conventional musical. It stands out as one of the few true rock operas, bursting with energy, bold staging, and a soundtrack that clearly echoes the spirit of Woodstock. Its story perfectly matched the atmosphere of the time—when people were putting flowers in their hair and passing the peace pipe: a tale of revolution, oppression, greed, and, of course, peace and love.
Freely adapted from the New Testament, Jesus Christ Superstar portrays the final seven days in the life of Jesus of Nazareth—not as a religious Passion, but as a very human drama. Jesus is one of us, filled with love, hope, and fear. Mary Magdalene and the disciples love him and project their hopes onto him. But Judas refuses to follow blindly. Disillusioned with his idol, whom he sees as weak and misguided, Judas decides to take action against the Jesus movement...
Before it ever hit the stage, Jesus Christ Superstar was a chart-topping double LP in the UK. Only later did the creators adapt it for the stage, premiering it on Broadway. Then came the 1973 Hollywood film, which helped catapult the show into one of the most iconic and enduring works of 20th-century musical theatre.
Premiere / August 13, 2005
Cast
Jesus Christopher Murray | Mary Magdalene Petra Madita Kübitz | Judas Dariusz Merstein | Pontius Pilate John Wiseman | Caiaphas Michael Leibundgut | Annas Jörg Rathmann | Petrus Svaen Lauer | Herod Samuel Schürmann | Simon Zelotes Luis Lay | Three Priests Jörg Zocher, Alexander Schmidt, Heiko Mauchel | Girl by the Fire Anna Baranowska | Soldier Reinhard Becker | An Old Man Peter Schulte-Overbeck
Film Concert: City Lights
Direction and Screenplay / Charles Chaplin
Music / Charles Chaplin, restored by Timothy Brock
Conductor / Frank Strobel
Erfurt Philharmonic Orchestra