[Extra listening] at 16.00 h, Marquis-d'Argens-Apartment: members of the production team in conversation with Dr. Andrea Palent

Since he was Prince Henry’s Hofkapellmeister (court conductor) in Rheinsberg, Johann Abraham Peter Schulz was a highly esteemed person in Prussia’s musical scene. Having been appointed royal Kapellmeister (conductor) he moved to Copenhagen in 1787. His inspiring work and his achievements in terms of musically educating the people cannot be valued highly enough. As a "song man of the people" he wanted to speak to the people with an art that takes the art out of art. With his musical comedy "Peters Bryllup" (Peter’s Wedding) he succeeded to the extent that the Danes fully adopted his tunes as their own and the term "national" Danish music was used for the very first time. Thomas Thaarup’s scenes depicting the lives of simple farmers and seamen offer slices of realism despite the idyllic setting. Topics such as the trade in slaves and the abolishment of serfdom were quite explosive. At Palace Theatre Sanssouci L’ARTE DEL MONDO return the delightful piece to the stage for the first time ever as part of their "Opera from the world’s archives" season which was initiated by Bayer Kultur.

Coproduction with L’ARTE DEL MONDO and Bayer Kultur, supported by the Capital City Potsdam, the State of Brandenburg, the Artfoundation NRW and the Ministry of Family, Children, Youth, Culture and Sports of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia; in cooperation with Copenhagen Opera Festival