One day, the Ethiopian King appeared at the foot of the mountain. The men were slaughtered and the women, raped. The tyrant married Queen Tanais, who slew him, leaving Mars – or Hades, depending on the versions – to consummate the marriage: Penthesilea was conceived. She became Queen of the Amazons, an exclusively female tribe made up of mourning wives and never-to-be-subjugated-again warriors. Their laws are strict; they capture brave warriors in order to procreate during the rose festival, but are not allowed to choose nor to love them.
In his 1808 play, Kleist tackles the myth through the passionate lens of Penthesilea and Achilles, ablaze on the burnt battlefield of their conflicting emotions. Struck by each other in battle, their only wish in to reunite in one last brutal showdown – despite the orders of their respective sides. They meet for one last battle; Achilles attends unarmed, which his lover doesn’t realise, and is passionately slain by Penthesilea.
The play follows the parallel paths of two beings, while their close circles – and the audience – watch the disaster unfold. In the preface of the French version, selected by Michael Thalheimer, translator Julien Gracq describes it as “a flow of lava burning its way down the side of a volcano”. The German director, whose theatre and opera productions are famous for their powerful expressiveness, offers a pared-down take on the piece, with only three performers, including an actress/coryphaeus. His production is focused on powerful writing and eruptions of animal, blood-thirsty urges of unbounded forms of humanity.

NEW PRODUCTION

BOOKING OPENS IN LATE SEPTEMBER 25

La traduction de Penthésilée de Heinrich von Kleist par Julien Gracq est publiée aux Éditions Corti.
L'adaptation originale en langue allemande est représentée par Felix Bloch Erben GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin, Allemagne.
En partenariat avec Arte 

Translation: Julien Gracq
Adaptation: Sibylle Baschung et Michael Thalheimer
Direction: Michael Thalheimer
Scenography: Henrik Ahr
Costumes: Michaela Barth
Lights: Stefan Bolliger
Original music and sound: Bert Wrede
Translation collaboration and direction assistant: Ruth Orthmann
Costumes assistant: Aurélia Bonaque Ferrat