The Royal Game

Stefan Zweig

Based on the novella by Stefan Zweig

Premiere: 21 November 2026 / Salzburg State Theatre

Synopsis

Thrilling games of chess played in the luxurious setting of an elegant cruise: On a cruise ship travelling from New York to Buenos Aires, a group of passengers challenge the smug chess world champion Mirko Czentovic to a game of chess. Czentovic easily wins the first match, and the rematch is not looking good for the group either – until the mysterious Dr B. interferes, forcing a draw. Dr B., an Austrian emigrant, subsequently reveals his secret: Placed in solitary confinement by the National Socialists, Dr B. clandestinely studied a book on chess to regain some freedom, at least in his mind. Will playing against Czentovic take him back to the time of his imprisonment?

A seemingly harmless game of chess reveals deep psychological problems and becomes a metaphor for isolation in National Socialism, for the abuse of power, for internal fragmentation and the attempt to protect one’s own mind from external influences. Zweig’s novella “The Royal Game” was created in exile in Brazil in the years 1941–1942 and reflects the author’s painful recollection of the loss of his home in Austria.

In her staging of the work, director Alexandra Liedtke interprets the chess board as a symbol of the world, where each move is followed by an opponent’s reaction. On a musical level, mental escapism is contrasted with the character’s psychological and emotional retreat from reality. A poetic journey through time for all generations, realised in cross-divisional collaboration.

Stefan Zweig (1881–1942) was an Austrian Jewish writer, playwright, lyricist, essayist, translator and biographer. His works focus on exceptional psychological states and the ideas of humanism. The ardent pacifist lived in Salzburg before fleeing the National Socialists and going into exile in Brazil, where he committed suicide in 1942.

Alexandra Liedtke, Principal Stage Director for Opera, stages productions for both the opera and the drama divisions. Her drama productions at the Salzburg State Theatre include Thomas Bernhard’s “Heldenplatz”, Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard” and Thomas Mann’s “Buddenbrooks”. She presents “The Royal Game” together with stage designer Patrick Bannwart.