HANNIBAL - The Alp's most gigantic Show

At the rear end of the panoramic Glacier Road you will find the natural stage of Rettenbach Glacier, encircled by mighty Alpine summits. A highly intensive and almost movie-like experience when it comes to this very special LIVE theater production. All Cinemascope screens and IMAX formats are outshone by the natural Glacier Stage. Hannibal's scene spreads towards 185 degrees, taking place in the third dimension. Representation, dramaturgy, music, light and pyrotechnics literally fuse into a real immersion. While Harald Krassnitzer narrates the story of Hannibal, unbelievable things happen in front of the spectators' eyes: snow groomers become elephants, 150 ski instructors are wedeling down the snow dunes as African desert tribes, and Hannibal himself towers on a huge moving column. Peter Valentine's music - a very emotional soundscore - connects all the breathtaking scenes to a fantastic movie inside your head.

"Die Liebe der Danae, Summer 2016, Großes Festspielhaus". I witness Alvis Hermanis' production of this wonderful Richard Strauss opera and - somehow - this stepped pyramid strongly reminds me of the huge snow pyramid of HANNIBAL, the Glacier Spectacle. Then a life-size, white elephant enters the scene to the right. What a coincidence! After a couple of talks and discussions, a big truck operated by Bergbahnen Sölden takes the giant elephant to Sölden, towards the glacier fields.

"Thanks to the Salzburg Festival this brilliant sculpture was released from the theater scenery to the majestic Ötztal Alps," states director Hubert Lepka.

On the glacier plateau at above 3000 meters altitude the elephant finally met his equals: the snow-grooming machines of Bergbahnen Sölden in the role of Hannibal's elephants that accompanied the troops. The big white animal moved directly from the Salzburg Festival to the glacier slopes without being shy. He also acted as a stage for two professional dancers, Maayan Reiter and Sami Similä who were elected senators of Carthage. Guided by Rotraud Kern - an experienced participant in the glacier spectacle - Sami (he comes from Finland) is happy about the low temperature while Maayan was on the glacier for the very first time. She comes from Israel and didn't know anything about the eternal ice and the white elephant from the opera house. We should invent a name! Yes, Pollux. Good luck Maayan, Sami and Pollux. The herd will start their training again in April!