The musical "Rudolf," which premiered in Vienna, Austria in June 2009, will be exclusively broadcast and streamed on WOWOW starting March 28th at 7:30 PM. Ahead of the broadcast, WOWOW released a recommendation from musical actor Yoshio Inoue.
This musical is based on the novel by Frederick Morton and depicts the double suicide of Austrian Crown Prince Rudolf and Baroness Marie Vetsera that occurred in Mayerling, near Vienna, in 1889. The music was composed by Frank Wildhorn, known for his work on "Jekyll & Hyde" and "The Scarlet Pimpernel," and the lyrics were written by Jack Murphy. It premiered in Budapest, Hungary, in May 2006.
In Vienna, the musical ran at the Raimund Theatre from February 2009 until January 2010, enjoying a long run of approximately one year. The production was directed by David Leveaux, who is active on Broadway and around the world. The star-studded cast, including Drew Sarich as Rudolf, Liza Antoni as Marie, Uwe Kröger, and Karin Filipcic, attracted much attention. Many dramatic and famous songs, such as "Stairway to Tomorrow," are also highlights. The performance, recorded on June 19th and 20th, 2009, will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW.
◇Comment from Yoshio Inoue
This "Rudolf" is a very important work to me. Even now, my friends and I often talk about how it was a dream that we were able to stage that Japanese version. The charm of Wildhorn's powerful and dramatic masterpieces, and above all, Leveaux's beautifully refined and unique direction. If you watch it, I'm sure you'll reflect on the meaning of love. The performances of the Vienna cast are also wonderful. I'm so happy that this video is available with Japanese subtitles! It's an absolute must-see musical.
◇Story
Crown Prince Rudolf (Drew Sarich) of the Austro-Hungarian Empire appeals to his father, Emperor Franz Joseph (Klaus Damm), to listen to the voices of the people demanding freedom and equality. However, the emperor refuses to dismantle the outdated imperial system, and Prime Minister Taaffe (Uwe Kröger) also refuses to take Rudolf's opinion into consideration. The political and ideological conflict with his father deepens day by day, and his relationship with his wife, Stephanie (Wiecke van Tangeren), has grown cold. Rudolf lives in days of suffering and loneliness.
One day, Rudolf meets Baroness Marie Vetsera (Lisa Antoni) at a ball. The two feel a strange sense of familiarity, as if they've known each other forever, and are instantly drawn to each other. For Rudolf, who is tormented by the conflict between his political ideals and his position as Crown Prince, Marie is his only solace. However, their forbidden relationship will soon become known to those around them...
