Lucheni (Serkan Kaya) was brilliant – high jump across the ropes that serve as the bridge’s* railings onto the stage during “Milch” – very lively performance. He hangs himself as the music fades after Elisabeth’s death on the bridge, just as the Angels of Death bear Elisabeth’s body away.

It’s obvious that Death and Lucheni are accomplices in Elisabeth’s death – Death is the mastermind behind the crime, although Lucheni remains only a pawn in Death’s larger game.

Máté is a great Death, I just fall over every time he hits the higher notes in “Letzter Tanz”, they’re too shrill for my taste. Other than that, Máté was, as usual, sensual and beguilingly seductive.

Jesper Tyden gave another strong performance as Rudolf, André Bauer’s Franz Joseph is wonderful, a convincing lover and workaholic Emperor. The one thing I still don’t like is his forced age during “Boote in der Nacht”.

“Boote in der Nacht” is a beautiful song, the backdrop of black mountains with a red sunset bordering on kitschy, spotlights only on Franz Joseph and Elisabeth who stand on different moving parts of the stage that move up and down in counterpoint, like waves.

During the “Mayerling Walzer”, one of the Angels of Death didn’t catch the pistol and had to move a little to catch it and then throw it back to his colleague.

In Franz Joseph’s nightmare near the end, his family is introduced and the Angels of Death take care of each of their deaths. Maximilian of Mexico (Franz Joseph’s brother), e.g. was shot by revolutionaries and the Angels of Death line up their wings to shoot him. One of Elisabeth’s sisters died in the flames, covered by red and golden wings as she fell to the ground.

The floor has been raised for this part and the cast is slipping and sliding about, spotlights in red, blue, and white give the atmosphere a strange tint. Death is on the bridge, Franz Joseph holds the Austrian monarchical Eagle in his arms, looking for Elisabeth, who lies on the edge of one of the moving floor bars.

Finally, Death says he’ll free Elisabeth from her life, throwing the file to Lucheni. I’m always surprised he manages to catch it ;D. Same goes for Elisabeth’s engagement necklace which she flings up at Death after she’s been told her husband betrayed her and infected her with an STD.

Else Ludwig has a strong presence as Sophie, she’s the right age and gives the impression of the stern, yet loving mother. She’s also a good actress, with a pleasant voice. The one song I don’t like from her is “Bellaria” – I don’t like high tones too much. In “Eine Kaiserin Muss Glaenzen” she often speaks more than she sings, which works quite fine for me, though.

Quite adorable was Maximilian von Bayern (as a coffee house visitor), when he took Lucheni by the strings of his apron and upended a jug of milk down his apron/trousers. “Die Froehliche Apokalypse” certainly is a very amusing piece ;D.

The male Angels of Death are always quite adorable when they visit the Mme Wolf’s brothel. This time, Giuliano didn’t have any money and had to borrow some from his colleagues. Death obviously doesn’t pay a lot ;D.

Maya’s voice broke a little during “Ich Gehoer Nur Mir”, she seemed to have a cold, but held up remarkably well, never missing a tone. At the curtain call, she laid her face against her folded hands, probably to show she was tired and looking forward to getting some sleep. Akós Tihanyi (Angel of Death) usually starts swaying about and dancing with the other Angels of Death during the curtain call music.

* I’ve been told the bridge is a symbol for the file Lucheni kills Elisabeth with – only Lucheni and Death walk across it and it becomes the bridge leading down to the quay where Elisabeth is stabbed. Lucheni uses it as a ramp to run down on towards her. We also shouldn’t forget the hysterically crazy laugh he grazes the stage with once he’s hit Elisabeth ;D.