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Music Theatre “Egmont in Iraq”
Goethe's “Egmont” in Baghdad

Goethe's “Egmont” was performed in Arabic as a world premiere.
Goethe's “Egmont” was performed in Arabic as a world premiere. | Photo (detail): © Laith Ziyad

The German-Iraqi musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” (“Egmont im Irak”), which premiered on 24 June, pays tribute to the 250th birthday of the composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The production is a co-production of the Goethe-Institut Iraq and the Iraqi Ministry of Culture. 

On 24 June 2021, the premiere of “Egmont in Iraq”, a co-production of the Goethe-Institut Iraq and the Iraqi Ministry of Culture, took place at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad. After two years of preparation and a three-week intensive rehearsal phase in Baghdad, Goethe's tragedy “Egmont” could be performed in Baghdad in Arabic. The incidental music composed by Ludwig van Beethoven was directed by Astrid Vehstedt and conducted by the Iraqi conductor Karim Wasfi.

For the music theatre “Egmont in Iraq”, German and Iraqi musicians and writers created a new adaptation of the tragedy “Egmont” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe with incidental music by Ludwig van Beethoven. For the music theatre “Egmont in Iraq”, German and Iraqi musicians and writers created a new adaptation of the tragedy “Egmont” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe with incidental music by Ludwig van Beethoven. | Photo (detail): © Laith Ziyad
Dutch composer Hans Rotman wrote complementary incidental music for the Alba scene, which was not set to music by Beethoven, and was premiered by the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra. The Iraqi writer Ranja Albajati wrote a complementary contemporary text in Arabic for the play.
  • The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad. Photo (detail): © Laith Ziyad
    The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad.
  • The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad. Photo (detail): © Laith Ziyad
    The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad.
  • The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad. Photo (detail): © Laith Ziyad
    The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad.
  • The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad. Photo (detail): © Laith Ziyad
    The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad.
  • The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad. Photo (detail): © Laith Ziyad
    The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad.
  • The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad. Photo (detail): © Laith Ziyad
    The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad.
  • The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad. Photo (detail): © Laith Ziyad
    The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad.
  • The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad. Photo (detail): © Laith Ziyad
    The musical theatre “Egmont in Iraq” took place on 24 June 2021 at the Iraqi National Theatre in Baghdad.

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