Original production directed by Robert Wilson / Music by Tom Waits / Lyrics by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan / Written by Greg Cohen and Tom Waits
The forester's daughter, Käthchen, loves Wilhelm, the scribe. But tradition demands a forester as the groom. He has to pass a test in order to be allowed to stand as a candidate for the wedding. But the closer the test gets, the more often Wilhelm misses his target. In his distress, Wilhelm enlists the help of a mysterious stranger who provides him with accurate magic bullets. From now on, the game hunted by Wilhelm piles up in the forester's hut. However, Wilhelm needs new bullets for the traditional test shot. In a nocturnal ritual, he conjures up the Black Rider. He reveals the secret of the magic bullets to Wilhelm, whose target can only be determined by himself. Wilhelm takes aim at a pigeon during a test shot - and hits: his Käthchen.
The world premiere of the Freischütz version by cult author William S. Burroughs with mystical, melancholy music by Tom Waits celebrated its premiere at Hamburg's Thalia Theater back in 1990. Now the work can be experienced in Rostock.
