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Carnival of the Animals
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 March 2026 | ||||||
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Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes
Carnival of the Animals – an Animalic Trilogy
I. The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant: After the children's book by Jean de Brunhoff (1899–1937), music by Francis Poulenc (1899–1963)
II. Ferdinand: After the children's book by Munro Leaf (1905–1976), music by Alan Ridout (1934–1996)
III. The Carnival of the Animals: Music by Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921)
In German with explanations in English
Recommended for adults and children from 8 years
Abstract
In an entertaining hour, the Salzburg Marionette Theatre tells three musical animal stories: That of the little elephant Babar, who flees to a city and begins to live like a human being; that of the young bull Ferdinand, who has other preferences than his wild peers; and Saint-Saëns' famous Carnival of the Animals in a poetic reinterpretation.
Program and cast
Music
Musical direction: Benjamin Schmid
Sound engineer: Sascha Tekale
Flute, piccolo: Eiko Yagi
Clarinet: Marie-Theres Schindler
Glockenspiel, Xylophone: Gregor Resch
Piano four hands: Jiayin Li, Asuka Tagmi; Yelyzaveta Pachabut, Caitlan Rinaldy
Violin: Benjamin Schmid
Violoncello: Jeremias Fliedl
Double bass: Roberto Di Ronza
The recording was made exclusively for the Salzburg Marionette Theatre in cooperation with the Mozarteum University Salzburg.
Cast
THE STORY OF BABAR, THE LITTLE ELEPHANT
Concept, dramaturgy, light: Herbert Kapplmüller, Lisa Stumpfögger
Direction: Lisa Stumpfögger
Puppets, set design: Herbert Kapplmüller
Narrator: Hanna Schygulla
Puppet making: Maximilian Kiener-Laubenbacher, Vladimir Fediakov, Emanuel Paulus
FERDINAND
Direction: Philippe Brunner
Puppet: Vladimir Fediakov
Illustrations: Clemens Birsak
Violin: Benjamin Schmid
Narrator: Matthias Bundschuh
THE CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS
Concept: Philippe Brunner, Matthias Bundschuh
Direction, set design: Matthias Bundschuh
Puppets, costumes: Barbara Weinhold
Musical arrangement: Philipp Schmidt
Puppet making: Günter Weinhold
Puppeteers: Philippe Brunner, Anne-Lise Droin, Vladimir Fediakov, Edouard Funck, Maximilian Kiener, Marion Mayer, Emanuel Paulus, Philipp Schmidt, Eva Wiener, Ursula Winzer
Salzburg Marionette Theatre
In 1893, the old-established Kaltenhausen brewery built "a restaurant and function-rooms" in the Schwarzstrasse, between the Lasser Villa (now the Mozarteum) and the theatre. The architect was Carl Demel, the master builder Valentin Ceconi. In 1897 these function-rooms were converted to the Mirabell Hotel. After World War II the Mirabell Casino was the principal tenant until 1968. Conversion work began in 1970, in order to give the Marionette Theatre a new playhouse. The former dining-room of the Mirabell Hotel was converted into an auditorium with a stage, and its rich decoration of stucco and frescoes is still impressive. There was similar stucco-work, though not quite so opulent, in the foyer, but unfortunately in the course of the 1970/71 conversion it was covered by a plasterboard ceiling. The stucco ceiling underneath was forgotten, to be rediscovered in 2000 when repairs were being carried out. In 2003 the foyer was restored to its original condition.
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