Berlin and Sans-Souci; Or, Frederick the Great and His Friends

A fresh May morning drenches the gardens of Charlottenburg in light, the blossoms alive with perfume while the palace itself rests in quiet slumber. Into this tranquil scene a nervous young burgher named Joseph races along the grand avenue, delivering a coded note to the king’s private secretary, Fredersdorf, whose pale face brightens at the prospect of a long‑awaited revelation. The two men whisper of an elusive alchemist whose forbidden knowledge might finally turn base metal into gold, a promise that has haunted the court and stirred both hope and desperation.

The story follows these early schemers as they grapple with secret signals, sleepless nights, and the ever‑looming question of whether the devil’s counsel will ever materialise. Their pursuit draws them into the inner workings of Frederick’s world, where politics, philosophy, and personal ambition collide. Listeners will be swept into a richly painted eighteenth‑century drama, feeling the tension of hidden experiments and the fragile hopes that drive men to chase the impossible.