BERLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the new Grand Show, General Director Berndt Schmidt has put together a production budget that is the largest in the 95-year history of the venue (founded in 1919 as the “Grosses Schauspielhaus” by Max Reinhardt; in April 1984 - 30 years ago - reopening of the new house in the GDR on Friedrichstrasse 107). For the first time, a budget threshold of 10 million euros has been surpassed, currently making THE WYLD the most expensive show production outside of Las Vegas.
Manfred Thierry Mugler, director, designer, photographer and perfume maker, well-known worldwide for his fashion and perfume label “Thierry Mugler”, and Roland Welke, one of the most successful European showmen, are both responsible for the script and stage direction. Like all big popular successes since 2008, THE WYLD is produced by Berndt Schmidt, General Director of the Friedrichstadt-Palast, Europe’s biggest and most modern Show Palace.
Before his time as an exceedingly style-defining and controversial haute couture designer, Mugler was a ballet dancer. He also created world famous perfumes such as “Angel” and “Alien”, was one of the creators of “Zumanity”, a Cirque du Soleil show that has been running in Las Vegas for over ten years, and was Beyoncé’s artistic consultant for her “I am…” world tour. Most recently, he brought modern cabaret to Paris with his “Mugler Follies”.
“Berlin is for me one of the biggest centres of free creation. I deeply appreciate the open minded philosophy of the city. THE WYLD encapsulates all the vibrations of Berlin: energy, modernity, timelessness and culture, and this is what I wanted to convey on this ‘bigger than life’ show. And when you aim to set such a major proposal, the Palast was the only place to make it happen. The biggest stage in the world for a show not of this world”, says Manfred Thierry Mugler.
For the new Grand Show, ten choreographers have already begun working with 60 dancers from - and here comes another superlative for this superlative-rich house - the world's largest show ballet company. Among the choreographers are international superstars such as Brian Friedman and Itzik Galili. Brian Friedman is choreographer to stars such as Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Cher and Britney Spears. Born in Illinois, USA, he also made a name for himself as jury member for the British “X Factor” and is now acting as producer for the US casting show “America's Got Talent”.
Itzik Galili was honoured for his extraordinary achievements in dance by Queen Beatrix in the Netherlands in 2006. The crowning glory for any show: the choreographies by the Israeli-born choreographer are danced by companies the world over, for example at the Stuttgart Ballet, the Companhia Cisne Negro in São Paulo, the Grands Ballets Canadiens and the Ballet Gulbenkian in Lisbon.
On the world’s biggest theatre stage, THE WYLD is combining exceptional characters and talents with extraordinary images. Wonderful and strange – just like the city where it’s all taking place.
The new Grand Show at the Palast will be celebrating its world premiere on 23 October (previews from 7 October). From then until around mid-2016 it’s time for: THE WYLD – Not of this world. Advance tickets are available now at www.palast-berlin.eu
