Libretto by Flora Verbrugge after the Brothers Grimm
German translation by Barbara Buri

„Please, throw me into the sea, throw me in and let me live, whatever you wish, I will give you!“ – A talking fish!? Jacob is so stunned that he lets it fall back into the water. Meanwhile, the fat catch would have made a good dinner for him and his poor parents. But what did the fish say? Jacob gets to wish for something? He can't think of anything right away. At night in the meager dwelling, his feet freeze. The next morning he calls the fish and comes home with stylish new shoes. His parents urge him to go get a house, later a castle, and then the corresponding staff from the seemingly inexhaustible wishing fish. Greed grows, the claims to possession become excessive. The acquisition is too easy, too tempting, requiring no effort. Despite the bad feeling in his stomach, Jacob goes again and again. Somehow, life is quite pleasant this way too. But the fish is getting thinner and thinner, and the sea is raging stronger and stronger …

With the family musical theater to participate in based on the fairy tale „The Fisherman and His Wife“ for a mezzo-soprano and a percussionist, director Johannes Oertel poses the question of the source of happiness between possessions and harmony with oneself.

Libretto by Flora Verbrugge after the Brothers Grimm
German translation by Barbara Buri

„Please, throw me into the sea, throw me in and let me live, whatever you wish, I will give you!“ – A talking fish!? Jacob is so stunned that he lets it fall back into the water. Meanwhile, the fat catch would have made a good dinner for him and his poor parents. But what did the fish say? Jacob gets to wish for something? He can't think of anything right away. At night in the meager dwelling, his feet freeze. The next morning he calls the fish and comes home with stylish new shoes. His parents urge him to go get a house, later a castle, and then the corresponding staff from the seemingly inexhaustible wishing fish. Greed grows, the claims to possession become excessive. The acquisition is too easy, too tempting, requiring no effort. Despite the bad feeling in his stomach, Jacob goes again and again. Somehow, life is quite pleasant this way too. But the fish is getting thinner and thinner, and the sea is raging stronger and stronger …

With the family musical theater to participate in based on the fairy tale „The Fisherman and His Wife“ for a mezzo-soprano and a percussionist, director Johannes Oertel poses the question of the source of happiness between possessions and harmony with oneself.