PHANTASMA

Synopsis

At the center of Frank Nimsgern’s musical stands Giorgio Phantasma (Mischa Mang), the greatest show star of all time, who is set to celebrate his comeback after a long absence from the stage. Before that, however, he must answer questions in an interview with the presenter Brenda de Ville (Aino Laos). Did Phantasma sell his heart to the mysterious Professor Marvel (Darius Merstein-MacLeod) in exchange for success?

Is this the source of his legendary fame? Is he truly condemned to constant misfortune and suffering? What terrible secret surrounds the show star? Phantasma takes Brenda on a journey back through the defining stages of his extraordinary life: to the elegant Paris of the Can-Can, where he fell in love with the artificial being Marionetta; to the wild 1930s in Chicago, where his lover Julia was shot before his eyes; and to 1970s pop-era New York, where his wife Antonia sings once more for his sake—and will die as a result.

Will the “Professor” ultimately claim his heart? Inspired by sources such as Jacques Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann and the Faust legend, Frank Nimsgern, Aino Laos, and Elmar Ottenthal tell a modern myth about the high price of fame at the expense of love and happiness.

Performance rights: @franknimsgern@me.com