By Sophie Zhu

       奥地利原创音乐剧《茜茜公主》将于8月31日和9月1日在厦门歌舞剧院上演。在这部长达135分钟的音乐剧中，演出阵容是由全欧洲招聘来的优秀声乐演员担纲；奥地利维也纳的施耐德·西门子舞台艺术公司负责舞台布景；伴奏音带则由享誉世界的维也纳古典交响乐团制作，其中有多部约翰·施特劳斯的作品，包括《皇帝圆舞曲》、《波尔卡》、《匈牙利舞曲》等独具奥地利风格的乐曲。

       中国观众对“茜茜公主”的认识大多来自1988年引进到我国的经典电影《茜茜公主》。据悉，这次即将与市民见面的音乐剧《茜茜公主》是基于电影情节打造的全新版本，十分贴合中国观众印象中的影像版本。

    The original Austrian musical production Empress Sissi will debut in Xiamen on August 31. The musical drama will feature cast from the Viennese stage production company Schneider Simens and music produced by the famed Vienna Symphony Orchestra.  

    Written by Austrian composer Georg Stampfer, Empress Sissi is a German-language musical that is also known as Elisabeth. The play is an adaptation of the 1955 film Sissi, which first introduced the legendary figure to Chinese audiences when it was screened in China in 1988.

    The musical portrays the life and death of the Empress consort of Austria, Elisabeth of Bavaria (1837-1898), who was known to her family as “Sisi.” The play unfolds against the backdrop of the golden years of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This romance follows the emotional journey of Elisabeth from her childhood home in Bavaria to the imperial capitals of Vienna and Budapest. 

    The musical features several of Johann Strauss’ most popular works, including “Emperor Waltz,” “Polka” and “Hungarian Dance.” The play directly addresses the darker moments of the Empress’ life -- her accession to the imperial court ended in tragedy.

    The musical premiered at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna in 1992 and has been translated into seven languages. Over nine million spectators worldwide have attended the musical, making it the most successful German-language musical of all time. Productions have been mounted throughout Europe and in Japan and China, where the cast toured Beijing, Shanghai and Zhengzhou in 2008 and 2009.

    Co-produced by the China-Austria Cultural Exchange Association and jointly sponsored by the Fujian Grand Theater, Empress Sissi will be staged at the Xiamen Theater of Music and Dance on August 31 and September 1.