Theatrical spectacle in a heavenly setting

The two women have done a lot over the weekend: shopping, wandering around, chatting – and finally visiting their favourite places in Erfurt. And this evening, there is something special on the agenda: the DomStufen-Festspiele. They leave the hotel promptly so that they are on time for the performance. But as they walk through the sun-drenched streets, past cosy cafés and relaxed people, they keep stopping after all. The historic façades and the atmosphere of the city captivate them. When they finally reach Domplatz, their gaze falls on the majestic backdrop of the cathedral, which can be seen from far away. With every step, their anticipation of the show they are about to experience increases.

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Every year, the DomStufen-Festspiele (Cathedral Steps Festival) impresses with spectacular backdrops. © Theater Erfurt, Lutz Edelhoff

The ambience: festive and anything but stiff. The sound: clear and wonderfully mixed. The stage set: brilliant. Everything about “The Damnation of Faust”, the show put on at the DomStufen-Festspiele in 2023, is large-scale and lavish. And completely eye-catching. In the course of the three-hour opera composed by Hector Berlioz, an acrobat tumbling from a metre-high gate on aerial silks produces “oohs and ahs”, as do puppet faces that are bigger than a man. “We always have a surprise in store,” says head dramaturg Arne Langer, who has worked at Theater Erfurt for more than 25 years. “For example, the Luther Musical involved nine-metre-high nails, Tosca angel wings that were bigger than a man, and Anatevka an eight-metre-long and 1.2-tonne overturned milk churn.”

A lot of movement on the show steps

Faust features other surprising effects that would not be possible in a normal theatre. Shadow play on the cathedral façade or lighting that makes it look as if the church is in flames. It is the star of the show in any case. Or rather, it is the whole ensemble that is the star: on the left, the 81-metre-high cathedral; next to it, the Church of St. Severus, one of Germany’s most important Gothic buildings; in front of the church, a flight of steps that cascade down to Domplatz or the extra-large stands where the audience sit. The 70 steps, which get wider and wider towards the bottom, form an unusual stage for actors, singers and soloists. They are constantly running, dancing and stepping up and down or disappearing into passageways to reappear somewhere else. And there are half a dozen church towers rising up in the background …

Public viewing at the opera

“The place has a magical aura!” raves Kathrin, as she and her friend Sylvia admire the fantastic scenery. They have both taken a look behind the scenes of the DomStufen-Festspiele in Erfurt – an offer that is well received by large numbers guests every year. In the context of the event, such a tour is a very special experience for all the visitors. “We learn exciting information about the production, see the impressive stage set and get an insight into the work that goes on behind the scenes”, says Sylvia enthusiastically. The guided tour even allows participants to assume the position of performers on the stage. After the informative tour, the two friends and their group are given a glass of sparkling wine – a stylish end to a fascinating peek behind the scenes.

The technical possibilities and the infrastructure have been refined time and time again over the years: in 2010, the stands were expanded to 2,000 seats; in 2018, the number of performances was increased. Even with 21 performances per season, demand was so high that “Nabucco” was live-streamed to the opera house in 2022. With 44,453 tickets sold, a new record was set.

Sometimes serious, sometimes funny

Over the years, more than 820,000 people have come to watch the performances, including many “repeat customers”. It is not only the production that varies, but also the style: sometimes it’s an opera, sometimes a musical. The material is generally adapted, but there have also been three original pieces. “The pieces written here could not be performed anywhere else.” Therefore, “Luther”, “The Name of the Rose” and “Jedermann” remain unique. This also applies to the collaboration between the set designers, choreographers, musicians and actors – a year of intensive work, during which many members of the team benefit from the fact that they know one another from other Theater Erfurt productions.

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Many of the performers, set designers and other trades already know each other from numerous other productions at Theater Erfurt. © Erfurt, Lutz Edelhoff

The violinists, wind players, etc. are not in the same place as the actors during the DomStufen-Festspiele. Erfurt Philharmonic Orchestra plays in the theatre around 500 metres away – live. It is insane how smoothly the cooperation between the up to 150 people involved works even from a distance. “Sometimes,” says Langer, “screens have to remind the audience that the musicians are somewhere else ...” 

The sound of cars cannot be heard; even the tram appears to show consideration for the theatre soundscape. There really are no external disruptions. And what if bad weather threatens to disrupt the performance? “In general, only one in 20 performances is cancelled because of rain,” says Langer.

On hot summer days, it is more a question of cooling down. Airy clothing, fans and an ice cream in the interval help with this. In the interval, the production for the following year is advertised. Kathrin and Sylvia are sure to be back.

Cover picture: © Theater Erfurt, Lutz Edelhoff