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Operetta The Goddess of Reason” delights and surprises Hildesheim!
In Hildesheim, the Theater für Niedersachsen celebrated the premiere of Johann Strauss' operetta “The Goddess of Reason” on October 25, 2025.
Operetta The Goddess of Reason” delights and surprises Hildesheim!
On October 25, 2025, the Theater für Niedersachsen (TfN) in Hildesheim celebrated the premiere of the operetta “The Goddess of Reason” by Johann Strauss, exactly 200 years after his birthday. The operetta was first performed at the Theater an der Wien in 1897, but was subsequently forgotten. haz.de reports that this is the first staged production since the concert revival in 2009 in Slovenia is.
Director Christian von Götz brings the operetta to the stage as a fast-paced situation comedy, which impresses with a stage design with many doors. The production contains raunchy elements that allude to the cult of reason during the French Revolution. The titular goddess is depicted as an almost naked woman, which gives the plot a special undertone. The music is conducted by Hildesheim general music director Florian Ziemen, who has been drawing attention to himself with rarely performed works since 2017. Despite initial difficulties in making the waltzes “float,” the ensemble around Tobias Hieronimi shows great commitment. Some musical numbers also clearly show the hit potential that Strauß is known for.
An unexpected fire brigade operation
The premiere went ahead despite an unfortunate incident when the alarm button was accidentally pressed, causing an hour-long pause. Fortunately, there was no fire and the performance continued after this interruption. The next performances are scheduled for November 2nd, 10th and 22nd and December 9th, 23rd and 31st. The production will also be shown in Nienburg, Itzehoe and Neumünster.
A piece with an eventful history
“The Goddess of Reason” is not only Strauss' last completed operetta, but also bears the signature of A. M. Willner and Bernhard Buchbinder. The play is set in 1794 during the reign of terror of the French Revolution and focuses on central figures such as Robespierre, who plans to replace Christianity with a state religion. The plot involves disguises, intrigues and escape attempts, and shifts to the time of the public cult of the philosophical goddess, supported by activists such as Pierre Gaspard Chaumette. The movements and characters invite some bizarre yet serious moments that captivate the audience.
The reception of the opera at its premiere was not free from criticism, and the new production could also meet with different opinions. Nevertheless, the TfN has certainly shown a good hand in reviving this forgotten work and is ensuring that Strauss' music is once again highly popular. Wikipedia provides additional information on the origins and impressive history of operetta.