Die Trilogie der Sommerfrische

Premiere at the Burgtheater on November 9, 1974. Recording from the Burgtheater, 1975.

Goldoni’s turbulent, cheerfully melancholic comedy about that time of year, which today has been reduced to a mere two-week vacation. First comes the departure for the summer retreat: days of intense anxiety—will the dress, in which one hopes to finally triumph over one’s rival, be ready in time? Days of sheer excitement—will your ruined finances allow for the trip, and why does the tailor want to be paid? Then the vacation itself—behind the idleness and Mediterranean ease lie intense emotions and small tragedies: why is Giacinta being courted by two men and caught in a conflict between love and loyalty, while Vittoria risks being left behind, even though her brother desperately needs a wealthy brother-in-law? And when will Sabina, sadly already past her prime, see through the hypocritical flatterer Ferdinando? And finally, the return: along with the rain clouds, all the problems have arrived back home right on schedule—and the sky-high expectations (which even contemporary vacation guides warn against!) have not been fulfilled. One of Giorgio Strehler’s rare productions at the Burgtheater—featuring a star-studded cast. Starring Andrea Jonasson, Susi Nicoletti, Gertraud Jesserer, Michael Heltau, Frank Hoffmann, and many others.