Scharoun Ensemble Berlin

Theater "Hans Wurst Nachfahren" 

Performed in German:

The Gruffalo 
A story by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Music: Iris ter Schiphorst (assisted by Stefan Lienenkämper)

It does not often happen that a children's book becomes an international bestseller, but The Gruffalo is such a case. The story of the lumbering monster and the cunning mouse has sold more than two million copies to date and has been translated into 26 languages. In this family concert, the Berliner Philharmoniker now present the story of the lumbering monster and the cunning little mouse in a charming new adaptation: as a puppet show with live music. This performance, for both young and old music lovers can be seen free of charge in the Digital Concert Hall.

The beautifully designed puppets from the "Hans Wurst Nachfahren" theatre are the actors on the stage. Members of the Berliner Philharmoniker and their children have been fans for many years, and so the idea of a joint project was born - the Gruffalo story to be precise, with music written specially by the composer Iris ter Schiphorst. In our performance, the music will be premiered by the Scharoun Ensemble Berlin, an octet of musicians from the Berliner Philharmoniker, founded in 1983.

Together with the Berliner Philharmoniker's education department, this group of artists brings a piece to the stage which the composer herself describes as a "living picture book". Together with mouse and Gruffalo, we wander the summer forest, meeting a variety of animals. In the second part, which takes place in winter, the child of the Gruffalo also appears, making his own experiences in the forest - especially with the cunning of the little mouse. The piece is performed in German, but with a little fantasy, it's not too hard to work out what's going on.

Scharoun Ensemble Berlin:
Christoph Streuli Violin
Richard Duven Violoncello
Peter Riegelbauer Double Bass
Alexander Bader Clarinet
Antonio Emilio Adriani Soto Horn
Majella Stockhausen Piano

Michael Hasel Conductor

Theatre »Hans Wurst Nachfahren«:
Petra Goldkuhle puppet player
Barbara Kilian puppet player
Stephan Hellmann puppet player
Bernd Schlarmann puppet player
Frank Sommer puppet player
Siegfried Heinzmann direction, stage and puppets
Barbara Kilian act version
Ehler Schulze event technology
Eres Holz repetiteur

www.berliner-philharmoniker.de/education