Summer theater

Anton Bruckner’s best friend was a monkey

Thomas Kasten in the role of Anton Bruckner(Bild: Ulrich Kehrer)

In the anniversary year surrounding the 200th birthday of Anton Bruckner, bizarre things are also being brought to light: the great composer spent several summers at Wilhering Abbey. There he made friends with a monkey who was "imprisoned" in the Palm House. The theaterspectacel Wilhering around Joachim Rathke turns this friendship into a summer theater.

Anton Bruckner spends his summer vacation in Wilhering and regularly visits a monkey there. Unfortunately, the monkey's name has not survived, but the animal does appear in one of Bruckner's symphonies. I wonder what the two had to say to each other...?

With Bruckner on the park bench
Eferding author Karin Peschka, composer Rudolf Jungwirth and director Joachim Rathke take this curious episode as an opportunity to delve into the rich, contradictory inner world of this borderline brilliant composer. They turn it into a theatrical journey. The theaterspectacel Wilhering, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, is staging "Bruckner's Monkey" with a tried and tested ensemble.

(Bild: Ulrich Kehrer)

Foray into the monks' park
As with the time travel "Monks" (2022), the audience will become part of this journey, which will take them from the barn to the Palm House and into the church. The unusual, cheekily told foray through Bruckner's wonderfully crazy dreams will premiere on July 10 in the grounds of Wilhering Abbey.

A reunion with favorites
Many audience favorites play and sing in the production: In addition to Thomas Kasten, Julia Frisch, Henry Mason, Daniel Morales Pérez, Simone Neumayr, Felix Rank and Matthäus Schmidlechner will be on stage. The Dörnbach choir is also taking part.

Incidentally, a book on the play will be published by Otto Müller Verlag. As part of the summer season, there will also be an additional program with an exhibition and musical readings.