For more than 380 years the largest and most famous Passion Play is performed every ten years in the small Bavarian village Oberammergau.
In addition to the lead characters of Jesus, Mary, Peter, Judas, Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas there are 120 major and minor speaking roles, for a total of over 2000 actors, singers and musicians – almost half of the village. At any point in the play, you can see hundreds of people, small herds of sheep and goats, donkeys, a horse, armored Roman soldiers, or 48 choristers on the wide, outdoor stage. The venue is the Passion Play Theatre, whose 4,500 seats make it the largest open-air theatre with a roofed auditorium in the world.
The play’s origins go back to 1633 when the village lost 84 of its residents to the plague that then raged through Europe. The tragedy prompted the residents to act out the suffering and death of Jesus Christ every ten years as long as they were spared from the scourge. The first Passion Play was performed the following year in 1634, and no one has died of the plague ever since.
Preparations begin in early 2018 when anyone born in Oberammergau or lived there at least 20 years interested can register to participate until March 31. Selection calls begin October 1, and the exact number is finalised subsequently thereafter.
Official celebrations begin the same month with a church service with a Catholic and a Protestant bishop in which the vow of 1633 is renewed. The actors are announced and introduced at the Passion Play Theatre.
Beginning Ash Wednesday 2019, the ensemble follows the tradition of no haircuts or shaving. A precursor to the main play, the Plague Play, that recounts the events of 1633 is staged in July 2019. It tells the story of the infected day labourer who was able to sneak into the village because the guards were all at a church festival. Not only did he die of the plague, but also 84 other people who were subsequently infected.
In September 2019, the lead actors accompanied by theological experts prepare for their task with a trip to Israel. Soon after, the choir and orchestra will begin begin practice, followed by rehearsals in November 2019.
The 42nd Oberammergau Passion Play will premiere on 16 May and close on October 4, after 102 performances, dark till the next performance in 2030.
The 2020 season is expected to draw about 450,000 visitors from all over the world. over 50 percent of the visitors tend to be from English-speaking countries.
For the visitors’ convenience, the village offers packages which include one or two night stays in addition to the play ticket. According to the organisers, half of the quota for resellers has been sold already. The anticipation is heating up!