FULL PASSIONSSPIELE ERL 2025

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: Passionsspiele Erl  
• Composer: Christian Kolonovits, and others  
• Libretto: Martin Leutgeb    Libretto Text, Libretto Index
• Venue & Opera Company: Passionsspiele, Erl, Tirol, Austria  
• Recorded: 2025
• Type: Staged Opera Live
• Singers: Christoph Esterl, Stefan Pfisterer, Manuela Schreder
• Conductor:   
• Orchestra:
• Stage Director: Martin Leutgeb  
• Stage Designer: Hartmut Schörghofer  
• Costume Designer: Juliane Herold  

Information about the Recording

• Published by: ORF  
• Date Published: 2026  
• Format: Streaming
• Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
• Subtitles: nosubs  

• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

  The Erl Passion Play is a traditional religious drama that has been performed in the Tyrolean village of Erl since 1613 and is therefore recognized as part of UNESCO ‘s Intangible Cultural Heritage as the oldest Passion Play in the German-speaking world. Every six years, around 600 amateur actors – about a third of the village’s inhabitants – bring the Passion of Jesus Christ to life on the stage of the specially built Passion Play House.

  The origins of the Erl Passion Play date back to the early 17th century, although no records of performances exist until 1800 due to several fires during the War of the Austrian Succession . The original text for the Erl Passion was written by the Bavarian Meistersinger Sebastian Wild in 1565. From 1868, a text by the local priest Franz Angerer was performed, which was later revised by Maria Luise Thurmair . In 2013 and 2019, a text by the writer Felix Mitterer was performed.

  In 2013, for the 400th anniversary, the performance attracted over 60,000 visitors.

  In 2013, the Erl Passion Play was inscribed on UNESCO ‘s Intangible Cultural Heritage list .

  For the 2025 season, Martin Leutgeb was appointed as the new director, and he also rewrote the text. The musical direction was taken over by the Austrian composer Christian Kolonovits , known from the Austropop scene. This new direction combines tradition with innovation and aims to encourage the audience to engage with central questions of faith. The Salzburg-based artist and interior designer Hartmut Schörghofer was responsible for the set design and technical aspects in 2025.

  The Passion Play takes place every six years from May to October, with 32 performances per season. Preparations begin in the autumn of the previous year, with rehearsals starting on All Saints’ Day. During this time, the male performers grow their hair and beards, which is a requirement for participating, and they often forgo their summer holidays to dedicate themselves entirely to the play, rehearsing approximately 120 times. The budget for the performances is approximately €300,000 per season.

  The performances are carried out by approximately 600 volunteer actors, mainly villagers. About 80 of the actors have speaking roles.

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