RUDOLF
Inspired by the novel ‘A Last Waltz’ by Frederic Morton, this musical about the tragic life story of Crown Prince Rudolf and his love for Mary Vetsera was created. The music is by Frank Wildhorn (JEKYLL & HYDE), the book by Jack Murphy. The Hungarian version of this work had its world premiere in Hungarian in 2006 at the Budapest Operettszinhasz in co-production with the Vereinigte Bühnen Wien, and in the summer of the same year the production was shown at the Open Air Festival in Szeged. The Viennese version of RUDOLF was premiered in Vienna on 26 February 2009 at the Raimund Theatre under the direction of David Leveaux. This was followed by productions in Hungary, South Korea, Japan and Germany, among others, which are still very successful on the repertoires of the VBW's partner theatres.
Synopsis
RUDOLF tells the story of a visionary whose main motives are passion, self-denial and the courage of a man who had all the talents of a political thinker but none of the talent for power. His ideas could have changed the world of the ossifying Habsburg Empire, his fire could have opened up a new era. But the rigid court and his opponent, Prime Minister Taaffe, prevented any innovation. In this devastating situation, Rudolf meets the love of his life: Mary Vetsera. Her attitude, her unconditionality, give him the strength to go to the end - after Mayerling - ‘united in love until death’.
