ELEMENTS

Q: What Is the Musical “Elements” About?

“Elements” is a conceptual musical that explores the fundamental forces of life. Inspired by the elements fire, water, earth, and air, it tells the story of individuals whose lives are thrown out of balance by inner and outer forces. The narrative is less linear and instead symbolic and visual in structure. Emotions, relationships, and conflicts are conveyed through elemental imagery, making them directly perceptible.

The Millennium Show by Sascha Iljinski, Jürgen Nass and Frank Nimsgern

World Premiere: 1999, Friedrichstadtpalast Berlin

Synopsis

Elements is the millennium revue for the next era. It ran for 459 performances and attracted more than 720,000 visitors.

MASKS: To hide behind them, to conceal one’s true face? Or merely a symbol of a fleeting state of being? Masks represent the merging of the cycle of the year with the cycle of human life.

EROS: “Let there be stout people around me!” – We assume the first human couple was stout. In the dreamlike, magical world of an imagined spring landscape, not only the first lovers of humanity flow, swim, and unite. To the annoyance of the skeptical mocker, this takes place beneath the fountains in the Garden of Eden.

PASSION: A dance by two lovers initiates a wedding ceremony. Symbolically, the priestess presents the young couple with the gift of flight. As in the myth of Icarus, this ends with a fall into the sun.

The mourning of the daughters of the sun gives rise to human beauty and light. The warriors of darkness fight against it. Life and love for eternity form the message in the finale of the scene.

EGO: An invitation is issued to a party defined by excess and indulgence. Everything revolves around power and wealth; the dance around the “golden calf” begins. The two lovers do not belong to this illusory world, as they refuse to replace genuine emotion with purchasable superficiality. In ecstasy, the remaining party guests descend into hell.

DARKNESS: The ark in the new millennium becomes a spaceship. The couple in this scene initially pursue very different intentions—an embrace of death and a longing for love. The deadly embrace of the ark’s commander, masked as evil, leads to a crash into eternal ice. Yet he is the one capable of overcoming coldness, rigidity, and death through love.

Performance Rights: @franknimsgern@me.com

Music & Lyrics: Frank Nimsgern
Book: Sascha Iljinski & Jürgen Nass

Creative Team

World Premiere

Staging: Jürgen Nass
Musical Direction: Detlef Klemm

Main Cast

World Premiere

John Marshall, Coco Fletcher, Peter Hiller

Listen to the soundtrack now

Official Videos

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Score Samples

"Blood and Shadow"

Elements

"Can you see the light"

Elements

"Leben"

Elements

FAQ about the Production

Here you will find the most frequently asked questions and answers about ELEMENTS – clearly summarized for quick reference.

About the Biography of Prof. Frank Nimsgern

How Are the Elements Realized Dramaturgically?

Each element is given its own emotional and musical quality. Fire represents passion and destruction, water stands for depth and transformation, earth symbolizes stability and connection, and air embodies freedom and movement. These forces are reflected in the characters and their relationships. Music, staging, and choreography consistently incorporate this symbolism.

What Is the Conceptual Origin of “Elements”?

The musical is rooted in the ancient concept of the four elements as the fundamental building blocks of life. These archetypal forces symbolize emotional states, character traits, and inner conflicts. Frank Nimsgern draws on this symbolism to portray human experience in a timeless way. The result is a universal approach that transcends specific places or eras.

What Is the Musical “Elements” About?

“Elements” is a conceptual musical that explores the fundamental forces of life. Inspired by the elements fire, water, earth, and air, it tells the story of individuals whose lives are thrown out of balance by inner and outer forces. The narrative is less linear and instead symbolic and visual in structure. Emotions, relationships, and conflicts are conveyed through elemental imagery, making them directly perceptible.

Which Musical Language Characterizes “Elements”?

The music is multilayered and atmospheric. Frank Nimsgern combines orchestral textures with modern rhythms and emotionally charged melodies. Rather than following conventional song structures, the music develops out of the moods of the elements themselves. This results in a powerful, immersive sonic experience.

Why Is “Elements” Thematically Timeless?

The exploration of inner balance, transformation, and emotional forces is universal. “Elements” addresses fundamental human experiences that exist independently of societal trends. The musical invites self-reflection, and it is precisely this openness that ensures its lasting relevance.