Berlin Alexanderplatz

What does it mean to live in a big city? Anonymity and isolation? Dehumanisation and social injustice? Alfred Döblin investigated these questions in his novel as early as 1929. Brothers Vivan and Ketan Bhatti took on the task of transferring Döblin’s epic work into the world of today. Their “Berlin Alexanderplatz” is not merely an adaptation but a modern recreation of the classic material, which keeps the original social context and the historic dimension but integrates contemporary perspectives and challenges. After being released from prison, Franz Biberkopf tries to start a new life in Berlin. The work describes his battles with the demons of his past, his exploration of the big city as well as the recurring temptations and moral conflicts he faces.

For the new interpretation by Vivan and Ketan Bhatti, writer Christiane Neudecker has adapted the novel in a stylised version. The Bhatti brothers use deliberate contrasts in their music: Electronic rhythms reflect the city’s unceasing energy, while calmer, melancholic sounds illustrate the internal struggles of the protagonist. In 2023, the work was nominated as best world premiere of the year by “Opernwelt”.

The collaborations of brothers Vivan and Ketan Bhatti range from contemporary chamber music to experimental music and dance theatre, from stage and film music all the way to electronic and hip-hop-based productions. Ketan and Vivan Bhatti’s music theatre plays are created in collaboration with renowned authors and examine the issues of integration and exclusion.

Musical director Leslie Suganandarajah, a specialist for new music, takes on this recent work with much dedication. Together with his long-standing team for stage (Anne Ehrlich) and costume design (Anna Sünkel), the drama division’s new director Nuran David Calis stages the music theatre play “Berlin Alexanderplatz” as a thrilling cross-divisional project.