Was ihr wollt

Set on the sun‑kissed coast of Illyria, this charming comedy opens with a shipwreck that strands the resourceful Viola in a foreign land. Believing her brother dead, she decides to disguise herself as a young man, taking the name Cesario to serve the melancholy Duke Orsino. The opening scenes already blend witty wordplay with tender longing, as Orsino pours out his unfulfilled love for the noble Lady Olivia while Viola, hidden behind her new identity, listens.

As Orsino sends Cesario on a quest to win Olivia’s heart, the boundaries of desire begin to blur: the duke falls for his messenger, Olivia becomes enamored of the disguised Viola, and Viola herself harbors secret feelings for the duke. Alongside a lively cast of scheming servants, bumbling grooms, and a pompous steward, the story swirls with mistaken identities, clever banter, and the playful folly of love. Listeners will be treated to Shakespeare’s sparkling rhythm, now rendered in a bright German translation that captures the original’s humor and emotional warmth.