Germany (1924)

Director: Fritz Lang 

Music: Gottfried Huppertz (new arrangement/instrumentation by Frank Strobel and Marco Jovic, 2010)

Larger than life, built upon the Norse legends of the Middle Ages, and enhanced by the striking imagery of the German expressionist movement, DIE NIBELUNGEN is a monumental spectacle. In preparing the tale of DIE NIBELUNGEN, Lang put to full use the cinematographic innovations and creative visions of the artists of Decla-Bioscop. The towering trees, treasure-filled caves, and seventy-foot dragon were constructed in full scale within the studio walls. The special effects artists devised innovative matte and mirror effects when the scope of action was too immense to be confined to an indoor set.

As a result, DIE NIBELUNGEN is as impressive for its suspenseful retelling of the 13th Century legend as for the technical wizardry that brought it to life seven hundred years later.

THE STORY: Siegfried (Part 1)

Siegfried is a young blacksmith apprentice and the son of King Siegmund of the Nibelungen. He sets off to the court of King Gunther of Worms to win Princess Kriemhild’s hand in marriage. He encounters and slays a dragon and bathes in its blood, which makes him invulnerable apart from a small area on his back. Then he defeats Alberich, the treasurer of the Nibelungen dynasty. Knowing of Siegfried’s successes, King Gunther promises the young adventurer Kriemhild’s hand in marriage with one string attached. He requests that Siegfried help him win Queen Brunhild’s hand in marriage. When Brunhild discovers that Siegfried and Gunther have deceived her she sends Hagen to kill Siegfried. While hunting in the Odenwald, Hagen shoots young Siegfried in the back with a spear. Princess Kriemhild swears revenge…

THE STORY: Kriemhild's Revenge (Part 2)

After Siegfried’s death Kriemhild swears revenge. She marries King Etzel of the Huns and invites her brother Gunther and Hagen to celebrate the birth of their son. When Hagen hears that the Huns have killed his warriors he murders the baby. Kriemhild stabs Hagan with Siegfried’s sword and is then killed herself. King Etzel proceeds into the burning halls carrying his wife’s body in his arms.

This epoch-making film and musical work has been re-edited in cooperation between the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Foundation, ZDF/ARTE and the European FilmPhilharmonic Institute for large orchestral performances.

 

INSTRUMENTATION:1+1/picc.1+1/ca.1+1/bcl.2 - 4.2.3.1 – timp.3perc.hrp.pno - strings

 

This is a production by the EUROPEAN FILMPHILHARMONIC INSTITUTE

contact: Beate Warkentien

Phone +49 (0) 30 27890-194

e-mail: warkentien@filmphilharmonie.de