"Doppelganger: Exploring Mortality through Music, Poetry, and Dance"

The world premiere of "Doppelganger" at the Park Avenue Armory Drill Hall transforms Schubert's "Schwanengesang" into a wartime narrative, with star tenor Jonas Kaufmann playing a dying soldier in a military hospital. Directed by Claus Guth, the production features a cast of injured soldiers, nurses, and dancers, with the pianist Helmut Deutsch at the center of the stage. The staging, set design, and lighting effectively evoke the atmosphere of war, while Kaufmann's performance and the integration of Schubert's songs with new music by Mathis Nitschke create a fresh and powerful interpretation. The production received an enthusiastic response from the audience.