Back on the stage

“No evening is like the other”

Monika Gruber, also known as "the Gruberin" by her fans, is one of the most popular cabaret artists.

(Bild: Servus TV)

The popular cabaret artist Monika Gruber, who lives in Erding, is back on the big stage! On October 19 with the well-known "Operas in Bavarian" at the Congress Innsbruck. The "Krone" met her for an interview.

Operas, with their often absurd and abstruse libretti, have always been a treasure trove for poets and musicians, who like to poke fun at the sometimes exaggerated nature of great emotions such as suffering and love. For example, Johann Nestroy parodied Wagner's world of myths and his opera "Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg" in his 1857 farce "Tannhäuser".

But the cultural manager and writer Paul Schallweg, who was born in Munich in 1914 and died in Bischofswiesen in 1998, also thoroughly explored the wide world of opera and took the piss out of it. As a result, he translated "Carmen", "The Magic Flute" and "The Flying Dutchman", among others, into original dialect verses and relocated their settings to Bavaria - for example to Berchtesgaden and Lake Starnberg.

Guaranteed success: Anthoff, Gruber, Lerchenberg (from left).

(Bild: Matthias Reithmeier)

Great cast
These "operas in Bavarian", which he has put into verse, can be experienced and enjoyed for the first time on October 19 at Congress Innsbruck. The cast includes the three great Bavarian actors Monika Gruber, Gerd Anthoff and Michael Lerchenberg, who directed the musical "Sister Act" at Kufstein Fortress in the summer. The first-class music ensemble under the direction of Andreas Kowalewitz will provide the accompaniment.

Interview

„Nach erster Oper völlig verzaubert“

The "Tiroler Krone" met Monika Gruber, one of the most successful actresses and cabaret artists in the German-speaking world, in advance for a major interview.

"Krone": Ms. Gruber, are you a friend of classical music or do you enjoy going to the opera?
Monika Gruber: As my best friend Alex used to work as a costume designer at the Munich State Opera, I was often allowed to accompany him - even behind the scenes. I was in my early 20s when I first came into contact with opera and ballet as a complete culture buff from the countryside and was completely enchanted. I would like to quote my beloved "Monaco Franze" at this point: "Where I come from, there was culture when someone was clean." Although I admit that Italian operas are my favorite - if only because of the language - and I always have to take courage before Wagner.

I think Schallweg has achieved a great balancing act - namely to present "their" pieces to experienced opera-goers in a completely new, humorous, yet profound way.

Monika Gruber

What is the reason for the enormous success of Paul Schallweg's "Operas in Bavarian", which have been performed many hundreds of times at Munich's Gärtnerplatztheater and Prinzregententheater since their creation and are on the repertoires of festivals, opera houses, concert halls and theaters in Bavaria and far beyond its borders?
I think Schallweg has achieved a great balancing act - namely to present "their" pieces to experienced opera-goers in a completely new, humorous, yet profound way and at the same time to show those who are perhaps less interested in opera due to reservations that it is not about conveying a certain level of sophistication to their fellow human beings, but that opera can be timeless and simply ravishingly entertaining.

Monika Gruber is back on stage.

(Bild: ServusTV / Johannes Jank)

What can you tell us about the music for "Opern auf Bayrisch", which was written by Friedrich Meyer, Rolf Wilhelm and Andreas Kowalewitz, and the musical ensemble?
I am indeed fascinated every evening by how the quintessence of the musical work has been worked out and varied in a condensed form to make the text more vivid and lively, and how this humorous and playful note is always kept in mind, even to the point of childish silliness. I could listen enthusiastically for hours. What's more, the great ensemble is always good for a surprise, which usually consists of startling me at some point. And I fall for it every time.

As you know, your two stage colleagues Gerd Anthoff and Michael Lerchenberg have been part of this successful production for many years. You, Ms. Gruber, on the other hand, have only recently started presenting these humorous and cheeky reinterpretations of world-famous operas in the leading female role as part of the "Opern auf Bayrisch" ensemble. What do you find so appealing about "Operas in Bavarian"? What do you think is the most fun during the performances?
To be honest, that's not entirely true, because I stood in for my colleague Conny Glogger a few times years ago and have kind of extended my "guest performance" a little over the past few months because I enjoy it so much. I should actually have to pay admission! I'm also learning a lot from my male colleagues and I really have to make an effort to keep up: Because they are both just great in the range of their skills and - as I mentioned before - no two evenings are the same. I am challenged and completely surprised every time anew.