Der rote Wal
The red whale
Texts by Markus Winter based on a story by Markus Winter and Martin G. Berger
Music by Vivan and Ketan Bhatti
in German with German and English Surtitles
Music by Vivan and Ketan Bhatti
in German with German and English Surtitles
When the beach lies beneath the pavement, as it was often said in the past, it is not far to the sea. Gladis, the protagonist of this opera, follows the opposite direction, from the sea to the pavement. Gladis is an orca. And she wants to break what she breaks. Cruise ships, superyachts, that sort of thing. On her quest for revenge, she meets Lone, who promises her human form for 24 hours and demands one of her fins as a reward. On the pavement, she meets Abad and Ge, an urban guerrilla, schoolchildren on a museum visit to Stammheim. Gladis gets caught between the fronts and questions arise: Does the end justify the means? What remains when every truth is distorted? And if you can't fight violence peacefully, is militancy the last resort left to us all? But or because this is a fairy tale, the kiss of true love can free Gladis from everything in between. The Red Whale is not a fairy tale to trivialize, but to deal with a Stuttgart material that is charged like a myth. To tell of resistance and the monopoly on violence. The text is written by Markus Winter, who as Maeckes is not only one of the Orsons, but also a son of the mother city known far beyond the borders of the Kesselrand as a solo lyricist, thinker and musician. The score is composed by the brothers Vivan and Ketan Bhatti, who with The Red Whale are writing an opera that is also rap.
Jun 2025
Der rote Wal
Wed
18
19:00
Opernhaus
Opernhaus
World Premiere, Stuzubis 10 € already on presale!
8 / 20,50 / 33 / 49 / 66 / 82 / 99 / 119 / 139 €
Cast
Der rote Wal
Sun
22
15:00
Opernhaus
Opernhaus
Stuzubis 10 € already on presale!
8 / 18,50 / 29 / 43 / 58 / 72 / 90 / 108 / 126 €
Cast
Der rote Wal
Cast
Jul 2025
Der rote Wal
Cast
Der rote Wal
Sun
20
18:00
Opernhaus
Opernhaus
Stuzubis 10 € already on presale!
8 / 18,50 / 29 / 43 / 58 / 72 / 90 / 108 / - €
Cast
Der rote Wal
Cast
Dec 2025
Der rote Wal
Wed
17
19:00
Opernhaus
Opernhaus
First performance this season
8-115 € / G
Tickets available from presale start
Cast
Jan 2026
Der rote Wal
Wed
7
19:30
Opernhaus
Opernhaus
8-115 € / G
Tickets available from presale start
Cast
Musikalische Leitung Marit Strindlund
Regie Martin G. Berger
Bühne Sarah-Katharina Karl
Kostüme Alexander Djurkov Hotter
Video Vincent Stefan
Dramaturgie Ingo Gerlach
Chor Manuel Pujol
Regie Martin G. Berger
Bühne Sarah-Katharina Karl
Kostüme Alexander Djurkov Hotter
Video Vincent Stefan
Dramaturgie Ingo Gerlach
Chor Manuel Pujol
Gladis Madina Frey
Abad Matthias Klink
Ge Josefin Feiler
Lone Maeckes
Leviathan 1 Deborah Saffery
Leviathan 2 Jasper Leever
Leviathan 3 Yunus Schahinger
Pip Baron
Staatsorchester Stuttgart, Staatsopernchor Stuttgart
Abad Matthias Klink
Ge Josefin Feiler
Lone Maeckes
Leviathan 1 Deborah Saffery
Leviathan 2 Jasper Leever
Leviathan 3 Yunus Schahinger
Pip Baron
Staatsorchester Stuttgart, Staatsopernchor Stuttgart
Der rote Wal
Thu
22
19:30
Opernhaus
Opernhaus
Zum letzten Mal in dieser Spielzeit
8-115 € / G
Tickets available from presale start
Cast
All about „Der rote Wal“
Supporting program for the world premiere
Guided tour by the curator
The Haus der Geschichte Baden-Württemberg explores the RAF terror in Germany in its exhibition Stammheim 1975, bringing the first Stammheim trial to life through original audio recordings from the courtroom.
Sun, June 1, 2025; 9:45 am / 1 pm
Sun, June 22, 2025; 1 pm
Sun, July 20, 2025; 4 pm
7 €
Sun, June 1, 2025; 9:45 am / 1 pm
Sun, June 22, 2025; 1 pm
Sun, July 20, 2025; 4 pm
7 €
Audio drama
A call for donations to support imprisoned RAF members posted at the Staatstheater Stuttgart, a weapon taken from the theatre’s own armory, threatening letters from the public to the artistic director – this evening takes us back to the theatre and city history of the 1970s.
Fri, June 13, 2025
8 pm
Admission free, ticket required
Fri, June 13, 2025
8 pm
Admission free, ticket required
Workshop
How Do I Find My Own Voice?
A Workshop for Young Writers with Rapper Maeckes
More information coming soon.
Sat, July 19, 2025
4–8 pm
Registration required
More information coming soon.
Sat, July 19, 2025
4–8 pm
Registration required