Schwartz Announces New Musical, SCHIKANEDER

Multi-award-winning film and theatre composer Stephen Schwartz has announced his next stage project, an original musical centering on the lives of famed European theatrical producers Emanuel and Eleanor Schikaneder, titled SCHIKANEDER.

SCHIKANEDER will be outfitted with a German libretto by Christian Struppeck and the newly commissioned piece is set to premiere in the 2015-2016 season of Austria's United Stages of Vienna, to be staged at either the Ronacher or Raimund Theater.

As for the backstory, the Schikaneders themselves were renown for their impressive resume as theatrical presenters, producers and performers, having perhaps most famously mounted the premiere production of Mozart's THE MAGIC FLUTE (which Emanuel wrote the libretto for and originally starred in as Papageno) among many other notable entries, as well as for their own unique brand of theatrical skills, onstage, behind the scenes and otherwise - and, also, for their various romantic exploits throughout their colorful lives and careers, as well. Indeed, the volatile but ultimately virtuous relationship between the Schikaneders acts as the emotional and dramatic spine of the new biomusical, which traces their on-again/off-again/on-again affairs and ensuing entertainment exploits from circa 1775 through to Emanuel's death in 1812.

Schwartz released a brief comment to the press late last week about the just-announced premiere of the musical, calling it a "great story" and adding that audiences need not be aware of the biographies of the Schikaneders themselves, nor have any grasp of Mozart's THE MAGIC FLUTE, to fully enjoy the entertainment experience he intends the piece to provide.

"Both main characters were great personalities, which is always an advantage for a musical," Schwartz said.

Check out the original German article on the matter here.

So, are you ready for a new stage musical by the man behind WICKED?