Klaus Lang – Der Besuch vom Kleinen Tod (The Visit of Little Death)

netzzeit, Vienna, Austria

Little Death is in despair: the people he brings to the realm of the dead are sad. They sigh. They are freezing. None of them ever talks to him. That is, until the evening Little Death arrives to take Elisewin. “At last you’re here!” she cries smiling. Elisewin is cheerful: Little Death lifts away all her pain, takes her in his boat to his castle, plays with her and remembers that he himself is a child. In future, Elisewin will accompany the Little Death on his missions so that people no longer have to fear him. This project helps adults approach topics like dying and death in their conversations with children. This story by children’s author Kitty Crowther, a recipient of numerous awards including the Astrid Lindgren Prize, addresses the fear of dying, dismantling it step by step and showing death as a natural part of life. The dramatization of the text for music theater aimed at children of primary school age helps focalize the topic and opens a path to contemporary music creation. In all works for young audiences commissioned and produced by netzzeit, the experiencing of the orchestra and the visibility of the instruments and players is of great importance so as to make music fully accessible to our young people and introduce them to complex forms of contemporary music. Klaus Lang will compose the story of the Visit of Little Death as a musical fairy tale. This production sees Michael Scheidl (director) and Nora Scheidl (stage director) continue their successful series of music theater for young audiences (including Max Nagl’s Camilo Chamäleon and Camilo for Refugees, Georg Friedrich Haas’ Das kleine Ich bin ich, Elisabeth Schimana’s Gestochen und weg). Both will remain in constant exchange with the composer as the management team for the scenic premiere planned to be held in October 2020 at Vienna children’s theater Dschungel.

Further Information:
netzzeit.at