Gerhard Stäbler’s new music theatre piece about Albert Einstein combines elements of farce, performance, opera and choreographic theatre. Erlöst Albert E. will be premiered on June 26 at Theater Ulm, which commissioned the work.

The production will be conducted by Michael Weiger, the stage design is done by Philipp Jeschek. The text by Matthias Kaiser is based on a true story: in the night that Albert Einstein died, pathologist Dr. Thomas Harvey secretly removed the brain of the world-famous physician in order to analyze it. This incident was discovered several decades later, when journalists found the brain of Albert Einstein in preserving jars.

The music theatre piece Erlöst Albert E. consists of seven scenes, four of which are set in the operating room. In a state of delirium, pathologist Thomas Harvey communicates with Albert Einstein. He can feel Einstein’s scruples and doubts about blurring the borders between life and death. Harvey forces Einstein to transfer the world back into a more innocent state. But Einstein resists…

The main role of pathologist Thomas Harvey is written for high tenor, Albert Einstein is set for a singing actor and solo violin. Additionally, the music theatre piece features a mixed choir (which acts as the auditorium in the operating hall), a ballet ensemble, an ensemble of five “freaks” (consisting of a children soprano, mezzo soprano, one baritone and two dancers) and several other roles.