“The Magic Word” op. 153 (1888) by Josef Gabriel Rheinberger (1839-1901) is a Singspiel for children about language and understanding, quips and pranks, magic and responsibility. Wizards, wise men, frogs, storks, a real princess, an owl, and the occasional Fata Morgana will inhabit the stage. There’ll be croaking, conjuring, singing and, of course, much laughter.
The Singspiel is based on “The story of the calif stork” by Wilhelm Hauff (1802-1827), a fairytale from Hauff’s 1826 almanac, in which the story is told to the members of a camel train. Rheinberger’s wife, Fanny von Hoffnaaß wrote the libretto.
Wolfgang Dosch brings this seldom-performed work to the MuTh stage with the Vienna Boys’ Choir – Wilhelm Hauff’s original narrative framework.