The snowstorm

Sorokin is considered one of the most important Russian prose writers and one of the harshest critics of the Russian state. Like Serebrennikov, he has lived in exile in Berlin since Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. In July, you will have the opportunity to take a first look at the co-production that will celebrate its premiere at the Salzburg Festival on 16 August and with which we will open the new season in the Grosses Haus on 12 September.

In the Russian-German ensemble, August Diehl takes on the role of country doctor Dr Garin, who is on his way to the remote village of Dolgoje with his coachman to vaccinate the people there against a mysterious disease that turns the infected into zombies. But with their snowmobile pulled by tiny horses, they get caught up in the eponymous storm and an existential fight for survival. As with Pushkin and Tolstoy, it bears the title "Метель" and at first glance appears to be a condensation or intertext of the Russian snowstorm tradition. However, the story with a country doctor and coachman, a buxom miller's wife, dwarf horses and giants is set in an imaginary future that draws on the Russian past and basically refers to our present. Serebrennikov is particularly interested in the third main character of the novel: the snowstorm, which he casts with actors, dancers and musicians. Kirill Serebrennikov locates his production in this whiteout, an absolute lack of orientation. An existential cabaret also leads the audience into a spectacular loss of control. (Source: Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus)