Dark romanticism, demonic humor, and the unmistakable music of Tom Waits: "The Black Rider" combines German folk tales with rock musical and surreal theater. At the Schleswig-Holstein State Theater, this results in a stage world that is as dark as it is fascinating, between love, temptation, and a pact with the devil.
The Black Rider – The Casting of the Magic Bullets is based on the old folk tale of Der Freischütz, which inspired Carl Maria von Weber to write his famous opera. In the version premiered in 1990 by director Robert Wilson, musician Tom Waits, and Beat Generation author William S. Burroughs, however, the material is transformed into an unusual musical theater piece that combines a dark fairy-tale world, black humor, and rock music.
The story centers on Wilhelm, a clerk who is a terrible shot but still wants to marry the forester's daughter. To qualify, he must prove his marksmanship—a seemingly impossible task. In his desperation, he enters into a dangerous pact: magical bullets will help him hit every target. But the devilish deal comes at a price—one of the bullets belongs to the demon himself.
The story combines elements of German Romanticism with grotesque theater and the raw, idiosyncratic music of Tom Waits. Surreal images, dark ballads, and unorthodox lyrics create an atmospherically dense stage world in which love, seduction, and moral temptation meet.
The result is an evening of musical theater that oscillates between fairy tale, rock concert, and black comedy—a fascinating reinterpretation of an old legend about the price of success and the power of temptation.
Premiere at the Stadttheater Flensburg on April 18
Additional performances: April 21 and 28 (Flensburg), April 25 (Rendsburg), April 30 (Itzehoe), May 3 and 10 (Schleswig), May 13 (Husum), May 21 (Heide), June 3 (Neumünster), July 5 (Niebüll) 2026
