Elisabeth Das Musical
| Fandom | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Elisabeth das Musical |
| Abbreviation(s): | Elisabeth, EdM |
| Creator: | Szylveszter Levay and Michael Kunze |
| Date(s): | 1992 (first production) |
| Medium: | musical |
| Country of Origin: | Austria, Germany, Hungary |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
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Elisabeth das Musical is a European musical by (relatively well-known) composers Sylvester Levay and Michael Kunze, and performed at first primarily in German, though it has since been performed in multiple countries and languages, including Hungarian, French, Korean, Japanese, and Dutch. It has a somewhat fantastical story, and follows characters based on several historical persons, including the turn of the century assassin Luigi Lucheni and the Austrian royals Elisabeth and Rudolf, including and centering around the two's relationship with the personification of Death or the Grim Reaper. It was suspected, with supporting evidence, to have been made partially as a counter or in response to the"Sissi" series of movies, which is often seen as overly-saccharine for the historical era it portrays. Elisabeth also focuses on the political tensions, including rising antisemitism, homophobia, and gender roles, of the late 19th century and how that affected the people living in it. Overall with careful and beautiful music but a dark tone, though scattered with very occasional moments of humor or levity.
Like many musicals from the same area and groups, it has gathered a fandom both for its original performance language and for translated productions. It also has fans who do not know any of the performance languages and rely on subtitles, including subs in Russian and English. It is part of a more general European musical theater fandom, which also places emphasis on Rómeó és Júlia, Mozart! Das Musical, and A Midsummer Night's Dream, among other musicals. It overlaps with the Sparkly Hungarian Fandom, since a Hungarian production featured many popular actors, including Szilveszter P. Szabó as Death and Dolhai Attila as Rudolf.
Fanworks
Due to the nature of the musical, fan works may focus on political aspects, on interpersonal relationships, on abstract symbolic and philosophical aspects, or a combination of the above. Some fanworks center on Lucheni and his remorse or lack of remorse for assassinations and bombings, and examine the role of such tactics in politics and revolt. Many focus on the relationships between Elisabeth/Death and Rudolf/Death and related characters, with a variety of focuses. Many go into those relationships (much like the source does) as allegories or explorations for themes of difficulties, suicide, self harm, drug addiction (since the historical Rudolf was known to use morphine), or sadomasochism/bdsm, "normal" risk taking and adventure, and sudden illness. Some fan works focus on sensual or "kinky" aspects and hard gothic sensuality. Many mix or engage in a little of both. There is a mix - less commonly the history of the era is explored.
Sometimes there has been or is drama in broader fandom over the dark themes portrayed, either in canon, or in fanworks.
Example Fanworks
- Liebe Leben; Der Totentanz by AnglophilicSins
- A friend and a lover by Ginkyou, and inspired by it Die Schatten by Crimsondemons (warning: self injury and talk of addiction in both)
- Waking Dream by Fyre (warning: addiction)
- The Needs of the Many by Dolphinsarcasm
- To drown with you in nothingness, and arise with you as fire by Landofspaceandrainbows, focuses a bit more on the history and politics.
- He who would take me confidingly in his arms by Allumerlesoir
Archives and Links
- Elisabeth - Levay/Kunze tag on Ao3