I Am From Austria

Statements

Christian Struppeck, Rainhard Fendrich, Titus Hoffmann & Andreas Gergen

“I AM FROM AUSTRIA takes Rainhard Fendrich’s songs, whose ironic, highly polished lyrics and strong, catchy tunes make them perfect for a musical, and links them together with an entertaining story full of surprises that presents Rainhard Fendrich’s songs in an entirely new light. It mattered a great deal to me that the world premiere of this brand-new musical with such a strong connection to Austria should be staged here in Vienna, so this a very special project for me. In a way, it is a homage to Austria.”
Christian Struppeck, VBW Artistic Director of Musicals

“Titus Hoffmann came to see me a few years ago with the idea of making a musical out of my songs. I am really delighted that this project is now being realized in partnership with the VBW. My interest in the VBW and in the musical genre in general goes back years. I have great faith in Christian Struppeck’s team and am excited to see the finished version of I AM FROM AUSTRIA at the Raimund Theater.”
Rainhard Fendrich

“Several years ago I had the pleasure of getting to know Rainhard Fendrich personally, and one day, as we were talking about ideas for new shows, I suggested writing a modern musical based on his songs, which are evergreens because of their memorable tunes and ingenious, witty, authentic and profound lyrics. Austria itself and Vienna would form the backdrop to the musical… I am delighted that the world premiere of I AM FROM AUSTRIA will take place at the Raimund Theater in September. The VBW, with their many years of experience in developing musicals, are ideal partners for a project like this.”
Titus Hoffmann

“From the word go, I found the idea of directing a musical in which Rainhard Fendrich’s songs play such a central role extremely exciting. The content of his songs is very powerful and they offer an excellent starting point for a director to work on in a project like this. The profound lyrics underscore the action and there are all sorts of interpretive possibilities in transferring them to the stage. After a number of workshops to get to grips with the project, I am looking forward to working with the whole team to get the show ready for the world premiere in Vienna in the autumn.”
Andreas Gergen