Opera issues casting call for porkers

13 May 2004

MOENCHENGLADBACH – An opera company in Germany Thursday issued a casting call for real porkers – swine to serve as on-stage performing extras during a production next month.

An open audition will be held next Tuesday at the Krefeld- Moenchengladbach Theater and veterinarians will be on hand to examine the porky applicants.

“No prior operatic stage experience is necessary,” said Bernd Motti, who is directing the production of Friedrich von Flotow’s 19th Century comic opera “Martha: or Richmond Market” that opens 11 June.

“Martha” deals with the story of two fine young ladies who in jest disguise themselves as char women and sell themselves as servants at Richmond Market, only to find they are legally bound to their new masters for a year.

“Since the opera is set at a town market, we thought a nice plump pig or hog would be ideal,” Motti said.

Scores of swine farmers from as far away as Austria have already contacted the theatre. One breeder even offered to donate a pot- bellied sow to the opera company for keeps. The offer was politely rejected.

“Odd as it may seem,” Motti quipped, “an opera company can offer no longterm engagements to a big fat sow.”

DPA

Subject: German news