Oberammergau Passion Play 2010
Published: March 19, 2009
From May through October 2010, the Bavarian village of Oberammergau will be staging its world-famous Passion Play for the 41st time. A milestone indeed, but all the more so when you consider that the tradition dates all the way back to 1634.
The Passion Play is performed in cycles occurring just once every 10 years. Its history dates back to the Thirty Years’ War, when those villagers who had managed to survive the ravages of the plague vowed that they would perform a play depicting the suffering, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ every ten years if they were spared. It is a promise they have kept. According to the Web site of the organizers of the Oberammergau Passion Play, in 2010, more than 2,000 participants will breathe life into the story. Nearly half of the town’s population takes part in the production.
The play covers the period from Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem, his death on the cross and his resurrection. It is performed on an open-air stage, and lasts around five hours. Although it is performed in German, a program including the text of the script translated into English is generally available.
Although performance dates remain a year away, all those interested in viewing this truly unique spectacle might want to make advance plans for procuring tickets. A number of packages including hotel accommodation are offered on the above-mentioned Web site. Ticket sales start on April 20, 2009, but you must register on the Web site in order to receive the form by which tickets can be ordered.
Interested in performances of the Passion Play in times past? Click here to see a Stripes article dating to 1950 about the first postwar performance of the play.
