2030 Oberammergau Passion Play

The performance itself lasts for 5 hours and is broken up into two sessions – with a total of 11 Acts. It covers the Passion of Jesus Christ from His entry into Jerusalem through His Resurrection.

For the first half of the play season, the first session begins at 2:30pm and runs until 5:00pm. After a three-hour dinner break, the second session runs from 8:00pm-10:30pm. In mid-August, the times shift earlier by an hour, so the first session is 1:30-4:00pm followed by dinner and the second session from 7:00-9:30pm.

No, the play is in German, but there is an English-language textbook provided so English-speaking viewers can follow along.

The upcoming shows will feature over 2,000 local villagers – nearly half the town’s population. To be considered for a role in the play, one must be a native of Oberammergau or have lived there for over 20 years.

When the villagers took a vow in 1633, they pledged to be the ones to cover the costs of the play. They have followed this vow through the centuries. While there is a huge cost involved in preparing for the play season, including costuming, set-building, rehearsal times, the costs are recouped with the huge influx of tourists and audience members. It is a source of great revenue for the town of Oberammergau.

Passion Plays are an important part of Christian history. Many churches and other organizations perform annual passion plays, and some cities and towns have larger celebrations. For example, Sordevolo, Italy, put on a town-wide passion play every five years. Nearly a third of the town’s 1300 inhabitants perform twice weekly during the summer months of years ending in 5 and 0. Like Oberammergau, the play was borne out of a promise made in response to being spared from a plague.

While mostly known for the Passion Play, Oberammergau is at other times well worth a visit in its own right. Approximately one hour from Munich in a beautiful valley surrounded by the Alps, the architecture of the village, known as “Lüftmalerei,” and the craftsmanship of the villagers harken back to a simpler time. The villagers lead normal lives as well, with their families working and going to school as everywhere, though much of their economy does rely on tourism throughout the years.

Since 1933, the villagers have presented another play detailing the history of the plague in the region and the start of the passion play. Entitled “Die Pest,” it is performed in the year prior to the Passion Play itself. In addition, there Is a music festival known as Heimatsound Festival held yearly in the theater. During play years, it is held the weekend after the last performance of the Passion Play.

It takes months – sometimes years – to fully prepare for a role in the Passion Play. Though the principal roles and soloists do have ordinary lives and jobs, some of them study their craft intently – hoping for one of the coveted roles in the play. For the 2020 season, the cast was announced on October 20, 2018 with most of the town present. It was livestreamed and can be viewed on the official Oberammergau Pasion Play website. Two casts were chosen – for a total of 42 actors. Some of the physical preparation began on Ash Wednesday of 2019. Though more than a year before opening day, this is the time at which all hair-cutting and beard-shaving stops, in order for the actors to naturally look like the first-century people they portray.

Now directing his fourth Passion Play, Christian Stückl, believes one of the ways his actors can embrace their roles is to experience the land in which it all took place. Therefore, he sent all 42 cast members to Israel in August of 2019. This preceded the start of the intense rehearsal season that fall. Near daily evening and weekend rehearsals consume the lives of the villagers in order to honor the vow their ancestors made nearly 400 years ago. With the postponement of the 2020 season to 2022, it remains to be seen what further preparations will be made and when they will begin.