Alright, it looks as though Jörn is going to make me write my own review of this show. :-)

Although I've been to musical theatre concerts before, from the very beginning, the Sommernacht show was a special and very enjoyable experience. This was due mostly to the calibre of the performers, but also because of the enthusiasm of the audience and the selection of music, which was pretty different from what you'd typically hear at a North American show.

The concert opened with a few performances by some teenagers from a local musical theatre program. Some were better than others, but overall I thought it was a really nice idea. And the kid who sang Sweet Transvestite was great!!

The main show began with a big "willkommen" from Andy Bieber and the whole ensemble with the opening number from Cabaret. I had heard a few of these performers before, but Ethan was the only one I'd ever seen perform live, so it was a really pleasant surprise to see the variety of talent that had come together for this show. Maya Hakvoort did a lovely "Maybe This Time" to continue on the Cabaret theme.

I didn't get a chance to get to Tecklenburg while I was in Germany for the Jesus Christ Superstar production there, so Ethan's performance of "Pilate's Dream" was much appreciated. :-) It's always been one of my favourite songs from that show, and of course he sang it beautifully. After a few more songs from Superstar, Martin Berger and Andy Bieber did “Die Schatten Werden Langer” from Elisabeth, which is one of my favourite songs from that show. It was really good, but I probably would have enjoyed it a little bit more if I hadn’t just seen the song done in context the night before in Essen.

The cast and musical director took a little break to introduce everybody to the audience and talk about some of their recent projects - but as all this was in German, I don't really know what was said. :-)

The surprise guest of the evening was Jessica Kesseler, who was at last year's show with the students at the beginning, and is now appearing in Mozart! She has a really lovely voice, and did a selection from Mozart, which was beautiful. Ethan then sang Collerado's "Wie Kann es Möglich Sein" from Mozart, which was also excellent. After a few more upbeat songs, the act ended with the entire group singing "Seasons of Love".

As good as the first act was, the second one was even better! After Caroline Fortenbacher's beautiful "Queen of the Night" from The Magic Flute, we got to the Jekyll & Hyde section, which you had to know was coming! Jessica Kesseler impressed everyone again with a gorgeous "Jemand Wie Du", and then Ethan did a pretty much perfect rendition of "This is the Moment" – and in English too! :-) That was definitely the highlight of the evening for me up to that point!

But, the highlights just kept coming! :-) Andy Bieber did an amazing "Der Letzte Tanz" from Elisabeth, and then Ethan did "Kitsch" (with a few problems with his tray, but that's okay!), and to round out the Elisabeth section, Maya Hakvoort did an absolutely lovely "Ich gehör nur mir". And then, another of my favourite moments of the show, Andy Bieber and Peti Van Der Velde's adorable "Suddenly Seymour". I love this song anyway, but it was really cute the way they did it!

But the real highlight of the night was yet to come – after Martin Berger and Maya Hakvoort's "Totale Finsternis" from Tanz der Vampire, Ethan came out and dedicated his performance of "Die Unstillbare Gier" to Steve Barton, who passed away earlier this summer. It was incredibly moving, and he sang it so well – what I wouldn't give to see him do that role on Broadway!

The show wound up with Ethan and Caroline doing "Phantom of the Opera", and a few group numbers, including the ever-popular Time Warp, complete with audience participation. :-) All in all, it was a really wonderful evening of music, and I would love to go back again next year!

Pictures courtesy of Sabine

Here's the complete songlist for the evening:

Pre-program
No day but today - RENT
Denk an mich - DAS PHANTOM DER OPER
Sweet Transvestite - ROCKY HORROR SHOW

Act One
WILLKOMMEN - Cabaret (Ensemble)
MAYBE THIS TIME - Cabaret (Maya Hakvoort)
HEAVEN ON THEIR MINDS - Jesus Chris Superstar (Martin Berger)
PILATUS´ TRAUM - Jesus Christ Superstar (Ethan Freeman)
WIE SOLL ICH IHN NUR LIEBEN - Jesus Christ Superstar (Caroline Fortenbacher)
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - (Peti van der Velde)
DIE SCHATTEN WERDEN LÄNGER - Elisabeth (Martin Berger & Andreas Bieber)

Talk break

IRGENDWO WIRD IMMER GETANZ - Mozart (Jessica Kesseler)
WIE KANN ES MÖGLICH SEIN - Mozart (Ethan Freeman)
YOU´RE THE ONE THAT I WANT - Grease (Andy Bieber & Caroline Fortenbacher)
ICH HAB GETRÄUMT - Les Misérables (Maya Hakvoort)
CELEBRATION - (David Moore)
RAUS HEUT NACHT - Rent (Peti van der Velde)
SEASONS OF LOVE - Rent (Ensemble)

Intermission

Act Two
DIE KÖNIGIN DER NACHT - Die Zauberflöte (Caroline Fortenbacher)
DIE LETZTE NACHT DER WELT - Miss Saigon (Martin Berger & Peti van der Velde)
SUMMERTIME - Porgy & Bess (Peti van der Velde)
JEMAND WIE DU - Jekyll & Hyde (Jessica Kesseler)
NIMM MICH WIE ICH BIN - Jekyll & Hyde (Ethan Freeman & Maya Hakvoort)
THIS IS THE MOMENT - Jekyll & Hyde (Ethan Freeman)
DER LETZTE TANZ - Elisabeth (Andy Bieber)
KITSCH - Elisabeth (Ethan Freeman)
ICH GEHÖR NUR MIR - Elisabeth (Maya Hakvoort)
SUDDENLY SEYMOUR - Little shop of horrors (Andy Bieber & Peti van der Velde)
WEIN NICHT UM MICH ARGENTINIEN - Evita (Caroline Fortenbacher)
WIE VOM TRAUM VERFÜHRT - Joseph and the ... (Andy Bieber)
TOTALE FINSTERNIS - Tanz der Vampire (Martin Berger & Maya Hakvoort)
DIE UNSTILLBARE GIER - Tanz der Vampire (Ethan Freeman)
DAS PHANTOM DER OPER - (Caroline Fortenbacher & Ethan Freeman)
ICH WOLLTE NIE ERWACHSEN SEIN - Tabaluga & Lily (Ensemble)
TIMEWARP - Rocky Horror Show (Ensemble)
LICHT AM ENDE DES TUNNELS - Starlight Express (David Moore & Ensemble)
SEASONS OF LOVE - Rent (Ensemble)