Der süße Duft kommt nicht von Rosen, genannt Leichenoper

In one of the last productions by GDR’s entertainment television network, DFF produced the Leichenoper in 1990 with the same cast as its world premiere. After the song opera premiered in East Berlin in April 1989 as a selfmade-production by students of Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch and was immediately banned, it had its official premiere at BABYLON after the fall of the Berlin Wall and followed by many successful performances at Deutsches Theater Berlin.

One morning, Mr. and Mrs. Rohmayer discover the motionless mayor in their bedroom. Is he just asleep, or is he actually dead? How did he get there? And above all: How is he going to get out of there?

As the story unfolds, civil servant Hans Rohmayer and his ambitious wife find themselves in situations where they’re not sure whether their careers and comfortable lives are heading steeply upward or rapidly downward. Should they perhaps give things a little nudge? Is the “skeleton in the closet” a minor offense, or will it eventually stink so unbearably of betrayal?

Brilliant lyrics and catchy music with the charm of “The Threepenny Opera” guide you through the ups and downs of temptation and provide the most delightful entertainment!

With the cheeky irreverence of youth and a healthy dose of talent, two student friends in the final year of GDR poured their frustration with the system into their work, never suspecting what a timeless masterpiece they had created.

The television recording was first broadcast on October 8, 1990, three days after the Unification Treaty came into effect - a historical document of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Afterward, we’ll discuss the play together, its fascinating history, and art in politically challenging times.

Venue:
BABYLON
Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 30
10178 Berlin