Life is a Dream

Calderón's Life is a Dream – a great Baroque classic at the Theater am Hagen

An evening between appearance and reality: At the Theater am Hagen, the curtain rises for Pedro Calderón de la Barca's timeless play about free will, fate, and responsibility. In a concentrated staging, a theatrical experience unfolds that brings the theater atmosphere in the Grand Hall to life with dense language, clear dramaturgy, and pointed directorial work.

Fateful Prophecy – the plot in vivid images

A tower in the forest, cold light, the clanking of chains: Prince Sigismund, imprisoned from birth, awakens for one day as a ruler – and succumbs to the temptation of power. Afterwards, he finds himself back in the dungeon and doubts: Was it all just a dream? This existential friction drives the acting art forward, the stage design draws clear contours between the dungeon and the court, and the lighting mood shapes Sigismund's inner turmoil.

Baroque Thoughts – contemporary relevance

Calderón's verse drama (premiere 1635) deals with Conditio humana, Vanitas, and the world as a stage. The staging sharpens these themes for the present: How much freedom does a person possess? How does one overcome prejudice and superstition? Precisely set tableaus, rhythmic language, and tragicomic breaks ensure a lively audience reaction.

Sound, Body, Contrasts – theater craftsmanship with profile

The direction skillfully guides through three acts, condenses transitions, and creates fluid scene changes. Costumes accentuate courtly severity and individual longing; the acoustics of the house carry the verse to the last row. Thus, a dense, sensuous theater image emerges that captivates both connoisseurs and curious newcomers.

Conclusion

An evening for head and heart: Life is a Dream offers a grand stage, clever questions, and captivating images. Secure your tickets early and experience this classic live in Straubing.

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• Website: https://www.theater-am-hagen.de

Sources:

• Theater am Hagen – Event page Life is a Dream
• Theater am Hagen – Prices and general information
• Theater am Hagen – Service and cloakroom
• Landestheater Niederbayern – Directions and parking Theater am Hagen
• City of Straubing – Theater am Hagen (seating, house information)
• Wikipedia – Life is a Dream (background information)
• Reclam – La vida es sueño / Life is a Dream (work information)
• Theater am Hagen – Venue, program overview