Kathrin Zechner

Anlasslich der gestrigen (20. Juni) Musikalischen Neueinstudierung von Richard Strauss' Spatwerk Capriccio, das am kommenden Donnerstag, 27. Juni, ab 22.30 Uhr live-zeitversetzt in ORF 2 ausgestrahlt wird, haben Direktor Dominique Meyer, der Kaufmannische Geschaftsfuhrer der Wiener Staatsoper Thomas W. Platzer, ORF-Generaldirektor Dr. Alexander Wrabetz und ORF-Fernsehdirektorin Mag. Kathrin Zechner den neuen Vertrag zwischen Wiener Staatsoper und ORF unterzeichnet: Fur weitere vier Jahre wird der ORF den Wiener Opernball ubertragen und bis zur Saison 2016/2017 sechs neue Opern- und Ballett-Produktionen der Wiener Staatsoper zeigen. Die erste dieser Produktionen ist die live-zeitversetzte Ausstrahlung der Premiere von Giacomo Puccinis La fanciulla del West am 5. Oktober 2013 um 20.15 in ORF 2.

Producers Ben Sprecher and Louise Forlenza of the newly formed production entity GLOBAL BROADWAY Inc. officially signed a deal this evening with the Vereinigte Buhnen Wien Theatre to bring the hit musical REBECCA to Broadway in 2010. The signing took place in front of the sold-out re-opening night audience for REBECCA following the performance with Sprecher, Forlenza, VBW Artistic Director Kathrin Zechner and Manager Thomas Drozda. REBECCA, based on the classic Daphne Du Maurier novel (and later turned into an Oscar-winning film by Alfred Hitchcock) features book and lyrics by Michael Kunze, music by Sylvester Levay, and direction by Francesca Zambello, director of Broadway's The Little Mermaid and the new musical Little House on the Prairie, which just had its world premiere at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis.

The Japanese premiere of RUDOLF: THE LAST KISS, a musical composed by Frank Wildhorn, written by Jack Murphy, directed by Amon Miyamoto and produced by Toho. Co., Ltd. opened to an enthusiastic audience at the prestigious Imperial Theatre on Wednesday, May 6 in Tokyo.

A few weeks back, BroadwayWorld.com's international sources tipped us off to the fact that composer Frank Wildhorn was having quite the European adventure this past summer, with new productions of Dracula, Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel and Rudolf, taking the continent of Europe by storm in Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary and more. In addition, a musical theatre festival named after him as well as word that the Far East is joining in the Wildhorn fever as well.