Premiere in Linz

Franzobel: The thrill of the sweet life

Franzobel comes from Pichlwang and lives in Vienna; the Bachmann Prize winner is a sought-after playwright.

(Bild: Julia Haimberger)

Franzobel is one of the most important contemporary authors in Austria. He is adapting Goldoni's "Trilogy of the Summer Retreat" for the Linz Schauspielhaus. You can look forward to a "baroque spectacle" close to the satirical madness of the present. The premiere is on October 5.

Everyone pretends to have more than they do. What a life, what a thrill! And all this just to get their daughters married - and get rich again.

That's the bottom line of Carlo Goldoni's comedy "Trilogy of the Summer Retreat", which will be revamped at the Schauspielhaus in Linz. The Vöcklabruck author Franzobel, who hit the bull's eye this year with "Wolf - das Mystical" in St. Wolfgang, has been brought on board. His "Trilogy of the Summer Retreat" premieres on Saturday, October 5.

"Krone": You keep the plot in the 18th century. Can you tell us why?
Franzobel: I don't believe in these adaptations to the present day, where everyone wears glitter suits, has cell phones and goes to swingers' clubs. Baroque and Rococo are much more interesting in terms of fashion alone. This different era creates a certain distance and freedom.

(Bild: KI generiert von Robert Josipovic)

How do you make use of this freedom in the adaptation?
I will only imitate the historical language in part, creating a kind of fantasy language, a fantasy space that is close to Goldoni.

Where do you see absolute parallels with the present day?
Doing something just because you think it's expected of you, constantly wondering what the neighbors think of you, the conflict between town and country and the lovers are not really in love. Goldoni breaks with all the clichés - for me this is very timeless and useful for contemporary satire.