The new production of Georg Büchner’s “Woyzeck,” developed by the Q2 drama class under the direction of Ines Vielhaben, was performed at the Steinmühle Forum. The performance promised to be an intense and emotional journey through Woyzeck’s shattered psyche, supported by a remarkable cast and a well-thought-out set design.

The story of Woyzeck, a simple soldier driven to madness by society and his own inner demons, was portrayed in this production in a powerful and gripping manner. The protagonist, Woyzeck, played by Silas Krüger, convincingly conveyed the character’s inner turmoil and despair through expressive use of gestures, facial expressions, and voice. Scene 7—The Chamber—was particularly impressive, as the focused lighting and minimalist set perfectly captured the oppressive atmosphere.

Insights into the Mind

**The Voice (Arwen Seifart): ** A fascinating addition to the production was the portrayal of Woyzeck’s inner voice, played by Arwen. Her provocative, whispered comments added an extra dimension to the performance and gave the audience insight into the protagonist’s inner world. She is the embodiment of Woyzeck’s self-doubt.

**Marie (Luisa Harperscheidt): ** Luisa embodied the role of Marie with a striking blend of vulnerability and strength. Her scenes—particularly her interactions with the drum major and Woyzeck—were emotionally charged and highlighted the complex relationships and power dynamics.

**The Doctor (Emiliya Yanets) and the Captain (Luisa Harperscheidt):** The supporting characters, such as the sadistic doctor and the condescending captain, were also portrayed superbly. Emiliya, as the Doctor, brought out the character’s cold-hearted scientific detachment, while Luisa embodied the grotesque and sometimes comical arrogance of the military.

A nightmarish atmosphere

The set design was minimalist but effective. The various settings were depicted using simple yet well-thought-out props, which kept the focus on the actors and their performances. The lighting design—particularly the interplay of dimmed and bright lights, punctuated by dramatic scenes bathed in red—enhanced the emotional impact of the scenes. Particularly noteworthy is the scene in the tavern, where the red light and folk music created an almost surreal, nightmarish atmosphere.

The June 20 production of “Woyzeck” was an impressive rendition of Büchner’s classic. The acting was consistently compelling, and the production effectively brought out the tragedy and despair of the story. In particular, the innovative use of the voice as a character in its own right was a successful artistic choice.

The combination of powerful acting, a well-thought-out set design, and creative direction made this production an unforgettable experience.

With this performance, the DS class led by Ines Vielhaben demonstrates its ability to bring classics of theatrical literature to life in an innovative and moving way. A big round of applause to the entire cast for this wonderful evening.

Elias Schumann, Class 12c

What a wonderful treat for the ears, what a spectacular sight! Time and again, you see that when a teacher is fully committed to the task at hand—whether at the conductor’s podium or playing an instrument—the students are too! And that’s exactly how it was at the Steinmühle summer concert shortly before the end of the school year.

Once again, the event offered the audience an impressive showcase of the vocal and instrumental talents of students of various ages at our school. The program featured the 6th-grade choir, led by teachers Daniel Sans and Anna Prokop; the 5th-grade wind ensemble, conducted by Andreas Jamin; the concert band and the 6th-grade wind ensemble, conducted by Stephan Reissig; and the 10th-grade class, led by Anna Prokop. The concert band presented itself as an impressive ensemble that has grown out of the 6th-grade wind ensemble and—supported by several students from grades 6, 9, and 12—delivered a confident performance.

“That really hits the spot”—that’s what the audience thought as they listened to the colorful medley of songs performed, including “We Will Rock You,” “Rock Around the Clock,” “The Final Countdown,” “Radioactive,” and, to wrap things up, “What a Wonderful World” and “Lean on Me.”

The evening, hosted by Ulrike Wilmsmeyer and with technical support from the Sound & Light Club, showcased the results of a tremendous effort by all the performing students and all the teachers in the music department at Steinmühle. Hats off to them!

Looking back on the past six months, certain events stand out in particular.

“Bringing joy to the stage—that’s the goal of this event,” announced organizer Frank Wemme before the start of “Bands On Stage.” The performers more than lived up to this self-imposed standard that evening. The Steinmühle hosted what was arguably one of the highest-quality music events in recent memory. The photos speak for themselves.

It was a mix of participants of various ages, including performers who presented different musical genres, as well as bands whose performances had more differences than similarities. And yet, acoustically, the evening felt like a cohesive whole. Everything fell into place; nothing was left to chance. Perhaps this is exactly what joy looks like when rehearsal isn’t perceived as a burden or a source of stress. When students have been musically active for quite some time—in some cases, in the same band lineup—it suggests that personal passion is at play here. Performing were Anna Steinfeldt & Svea Turba, Larry & the Loud Tree Frogs, the 5th and 6th-grade club band, the Jazz Ensemble, and the StoneMill House Band. Students from grades 5 through 13 brought a diverse program of pop, rock, and jazz to the stage.

They could have made it easier on themselves, since the participants didn’t exactly choose easy songs. For example, they performed “Shine Bright Like a Diamond,” followed by “Smoke on the Water” for a change of pace, as well as Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect,” which gave the audience goosebumps, much like “Stay,” also by Rihanna. It was the instrumental and vocal skills, but it was also the selection of songs that made this evening such a success. “Besame mucho,” “Feeling Good,” “Killing Me Softly,” “Rocket Man”—all these pieces simply sound top-notch when the music and vocals are truly on point. It was a major challenge that the performers took on—and they rose to it! The audience rewarded every performance with well-deserved applause throughout, and Tobias Karlein from the school administration team was also thrilled. Guys and girls, you could even perform this program for an outside audience!

The musical performances that evening were visually enhanced by our reliable “Sound & Light” team, consisting of Christian and Jonathan.