Everyone knows the legends about Robin Hood, who gives to the poor what he takes from the rich, rescues his Maid Marian from the grasp of the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham and watches over the Throne for Richard Lionheart. Even in this age of the computer the adventures of the freedom fighter find their way into nurseries in the form of children’s books, adventure films, radio plays, comics and not least also computer games. Young Daniel and his friends often play their favourite Robin Hood game, unaware that the computer game has a defect: pressing a certain key has the effect of opening a time window to transport them into Sherwood Forest in the Middle Ages. Not only Robin and his comrades are here reality, so is also the danger threatening them from the evil Prince John. When his brother, King Richard Lionheart, did not return to England, John seized power and is now oppressing the people whenever he can. Many children have been transported into his domain by the computer defect and are now in his clutches. Daniel is now called upon, in a „real adventure game“, to liberate his friends with Robin Hood’s help, to suffer real danger and to combat the Sheriff of Nottingham who is John’s minion. In this, to his surprise, he is helped by his own father, who has been searching for his son and has also stumbled into this virtual adventure. In the end Daniel’s mother discovers the keys she must press to restore the adventurers into the real world.

The adventure opera of the Berlin-based composer Frank Schwemmer, performed with great success last season in Berlin, makes its effect with witty dialogue and surprise elements in the stage action. The librettist Michael Frowin combined the classical Robin Hood theme with everyday scenes from the lives of normal children, and Schwemmer’s dramatic musical eloquence draws younger and older listeners into the exciting situation. Children, who are known to be the most critical audience, and their parents alike were enthusiastic at the première of the opera adventure. “Robin Hood” offers thrilling modern theatre for all generations of visitors to the Deutsche Oper am Rhein.

 
***
Frank Schwemmer
(geb. 1961)

ROBIN HOOD
Abenteueroper in 15 Bildern
Libretto von Michael Frowin