The seven deadly sins / Motherland

In order to earn money to purchase a small home beside the Mississippi River, a Southern family sends their two daughters, Anna I and Anna II, on a seven-year journey through seven US cities. “One of the two Annas is the manager, the other is the artist; one (Anna I) is the saleswoman, the other (Anna II) is the merchandise,” explains Bertolt Brecht at the beginning of his libretto. While the artist Anna II initially insists on a life that leaves room for human attributes and emotions like laziness, lust, pride and anger, her other self, Anna I, drives herself to self-optimize and adapt to the laws of the market.

Kornél Mundruczó has paired his production of The Seven Deadly Sins with the drama Motherland, which explores the subjects of capitalist exploitation and the exercise of power in a family of the present day, presenting a mother who does not shrink from drastic measures as she prepares her young daughter for a beauty contest.

"The Freiburg Theatre, which (thanks to the unjust workings of the cultural industry) is not frequented by well-traveled theatre scouts, now bursts forth with a great bang. For the direction of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht’s work The Seven Deadly Sins, it secured the extraordinarily coveted Hungarian director of stage and screen Kornél Mundruczó, together with German Nora Buzalka, the Burgtheater’s born actress who is outstanding in the Hungarian language as well." (kultura-extra.de - Germany)

"Nora Buzalka and Sinja Neuman perform with enchanting energy till the very end. The message of the production: 'People, do you wish to sacrifice your children as beautiful zombies on the altar of consumerism?' – is quite understandable." (nachtkritik.de - Germany)

"Once more, Mundruczó shows his towering talent. Under his direction, the opera singers of Freiburg give an outstanding theatrical performance." (schwaebische.de - Germany)

"The Philharmonic Orchestra of Freiburg, complete with banjo and saxophone, precisely and joyously plays Kurt Weill’s catchy music studded with foxtrots, waltzes, and Synagogue melodies in the version reduced to 15 musicians by H. K. Gruber and Christian Muthspiel (conductor: Ektoras Tartanis)."(die-deutsche-buehne.de - Germany)

"During this excellent evening of total art, we practically forget the corona virus despite the hygienic regulations in effect. Sin or not..." (Badische Zeitung - Germany)