Making a deal with the devil? Yeah, not the best idea. Never has been, never will be. In Carl Maria von Weber’s Der Freischütz, you really get to see why—cursed bullets, creepy forests, and a pact that just goes all kinds of wrong. Now playing in Salzburg, Johannes Reitmeier’s staging delivers a thrilling take on this tale of desperation and doom.

I hopped on a train and headed two hours east to the picturesque mountain town of Salzburg—you know, the one famous for Mozart, the Salzburger Festspiele, and, yes, The Sound of Music. Beyond the usual highlights, there’s also the Salzburger Landestheater, which, for this performance, is borrowing the iconic Felsenreitschule. With its amphitheater vibe, it feels like you’re at an open-air festival—even though you’re comfortably indoors. And since there’s no curtain to hide behind, every scene change happens right in front of you, giving it a raw, almost unfiltered edge.

Stepping into the hall and seeing the orchestra already seated in the open pit was something special. Even before a single note was played, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a typical opera experience.

So what’s it all about?

Well, the devil, Samiel, is as seductive as they come. Us humans are always chasing happiness, right? But sometimes, in that pursuit, we can get so caught up that we miss the red flags along the way. That’s exactly what happens with our two hunters, Max and Kaspar. Both have their sights set on Agatha, the lovely daughter of Kuno, the hereditary forester. But only Max actually has a shot at marrying her. Literally. 

By tradition, Max must prove his worth – and win Agatha’s hand – by passing a shooting trial. Normally, no biggie for the best hunter in town. But lately, his aim’s been way off, which might have something to do with Samiel lurking unseen and quietly pulling the strings. Desperate not to lose Agatha, Max lets Kaspar convince him to use a Freikugel—a magical bullet that guarantees a perfect shot. Sure, it’s technically forbidden, but it’s only cheating if you get caught, right? The deal: seven bullets, each hitting its mark. The catch? The seventh belongs to the devil…

Is it even an opera?

Der Freischütz isn’t your standard opera night. With all the spoken dialogue, you might start wondering—should we call it an operetta instead? But hold on, this was Berlin in 1821, and operettas weren’t really a thing yet. Plus, let’s be honest, it’s not exactly bursting with the festive vibes you’d expect from an operetta. No lively dancing, no cheeky humor—just a dark forest and devilish deals. Not quite the light entertainment package, is it?

The devil’s role in Der Freischütz is all about pure acting—no singing from Georg Clementi’s mouth. And yes, he even had a microphone. Does that make it more of a musical? Not really, but the amplified voice certainly boosts his presence, making him seem all-powerful and larger than life compared to the unamplified characters around him.

What are we looking at?

The stage is dominated by large target boards, which also cover the circular area where the characters move. The colour scheme is mostly black and white which makes Samiel’s dramatic entrance stand out even more. He’s dressed in a striking red fur-like jacket, black leather pants, and mismatched shoes, his presence illuminated by a red light that adds to his menacing aura. Around the targets, trees with white roses at their roots create an eerie, forest-like atmosphere—after all, hunting does seem to work better when you’re actually in a forest.

The set itself is quite simple, with minimal props. In my opinion, this was a brilliant choice, as it allowed the many sensory impressions to come through without distraction. For example, the choir stood completely still during the moment when they sang “Spinnweb’ ist mit Blut betaut!” (the spider’s web is covered in blood!). The music here is particularly dramatic, so I’m glad the staging gave it space to simply let the music speak for itself.

Another fantastic feature of the open stage was how it teased the choral moments. You’d spot the choir sneaking in from the far corners of the auditorium, slowly coming into view like a musical tide rolling in. It was such a treat, building that extra bit of anticipation before their voices flooded the space.

In the Wolf’s Glen scene, Max, played by Luke Sinclair, really goes through it. He drinks the magical elixir, and it looks like he’s about to choke on it—he’s clearly struggling to get it down. Then, he spits die Freikugeln into a golden bucket, each bullet hitting with a sharp clink, like little metallic reminders of the deal he’s just made. Vocally, he had some challenges. The huge hall, with its lack of acoustic support, made it tough for him to project his voice fully. But, honestly, that’s just part of the deal with a space like this. On the flip side, Athanasia Zöhrer as Agatha had an easier time. Her relatively jung voice was rich and clear, cutting through the space without effort, and never getting lost in the orchestra.

The baritone Andreas Mattersberger, as Kaspar, was convincing both in his acting and with his robust voice, which perfectly captured the desperation of his character.

And last but not least we have the chef conductor on the podium, Leslie Suganandarajah, who seemed to genuinely enjoy leading the performance, guiding us through the roughly 150 minutes of music with a fine balance of energy and control. 

Ultimately, Der Freischütz reminds us that the pursuit of power—whether through magical means or forbidden deals—rarely ends well. Or perhaps it did for Max, as it seemed he got what he wanted. But at what cost?

Pretzels? 

No pretzels to speak of this time…

Fun Fact: 

Weber’s dramatic soundscapes in Der Freischütz left a lasting mark on Wagner, sparking his use of the orchestra as a co-narrator and shaping the bold, immersive musical style that became his trademark.

Trailer:

Cast: 

• Conductor: Leslie Suganandarajah  
• Director: Johannes Reitmeier  
• Stage Designer: Thomas Dörfler 
• Costume Designer: Katja Schindowski  
• Dramaturg: Anna N. M. Lea

• Ottokar, böhmischer Fürst: Yevheniy Kapitula  
• Kuno, fürstlicher Erbförster: Daniele Macciantelli  
• Agathe, seine Tochter: Athanasia Zöhrer 
• Ännchen, eine junge Verwandte: Nicole Lubinger 
• Kaspar, erster Jägerbursche: Andreas Mattersberger 
• Max, zweiter Jägerbursche: Luke Sinclair  
• Ein Eremit: Martin Summer 
• Kilian, ein reicher Bauer: George Humphreys 
• Samiel, der schwarze Jäger: Georg Clementi 
• Vier Brautjungfern: Tetiana Dyiu, Kay Heles, Electra Lochhead & Annika Sangberg 

Chor des Salzburger Landestheaters

Mozartemorchester Salzburg