In celebration of Thomas Mann's 150th birthday in 2025, this special co-production by KLASSIK underground and Schauspiel Leipzig presents a newly created theatrical adaptation of Mann’s masterful novella Mario and the Magician, interwoven with Bach's The Art of Fugue, performed live by a string quartet featuring musicians from the Gewandhaus Orchestra.
This unique production brings the hypnotic and unsettling trickery of the magician Cipolla to the stage. Mann’s deeply disturbing allegory raises questions about manipulation, leadership, and followership. Written in 1929 in response to the rise of authoritarian leaders in Europe, this story’s drama has never been more relevant.
Thomas Mann, author of Doctor Faustus, had a profound interest in Bach's music. The fusion of Bach's monumental The Art of Fugue with theatrical tension amplifies the emotional intensity that permeates Cipolla’s magic show. In Bach’s fugues, each musical line enters independently yet follows the preceding one, reflecting the restriction of individual free will—a theme central to Mann’s novella.
This inspired combination of theater and music breathes new life into Mann’s story, revitalizing its drama and shedding fresh light on this powerful cautionary tale. The project premieres in Leipzig—a city inextricably linked to Bach’s legacy—in early 2025 before touring the United States in 2026.
