AFP/FRIEDRICHSTADTPALAST

A tremendous blaze of colour at the Friedrichstadt-Palast, which has been sold out for weeks now: around 2,000 guests, including Lady Kitty Spencer and Barbara Eden, celebrated the dazzling World Premiere of the VIVID Grand Show. Philip Treacy, the world’s most famous milliner, designed avant-garde creations for the most lavish show in Europe. The production budget is the biggest yet, totalling €12 million.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181012005266/en/

The new VIVID Grand Show is a declaration of love to life and surprises with exuberant sensory impressions. For the first time in the Palast’s 99-year history, a woman is responsible for writing and directing the Grand Show. Canadian Krista Monson lives in Las Vegas where she was instrumental in the long-running success of the Cirque du Soleil show ‘O’ as Artistic Director: “VIVID features futuristic elements, but also remains close to reality. Many people experience that life can change in just a split second.”

After Christian Lacroix, Thierry Mugler and Jean Paul Gaultier, the Palast’s General Director and Producer Dr. Berndt Schmidt has now commissioned the talented headpiece designer Philip Treacy as Design Director and Costume Supervisor. Treacy raves: “VIVID is the most exciting project I’ve ever been involved in. The Palast gave me the creative freedom to work on ambitious designs and to reinterpret revolutionary headpieces from my career with experienced eyes.” Under the direction of Philip Treacy, the Paris-based fashion designer, illustrator and art director Stefano Canulli is responsible for the extravagant costumes for the world’s biggest theatre stage.

For General Director Dr. Berndt Schmidt, VIVID is also the antithesis to recent developments: “We counteract many of the latest tendencies with a declaration of love to life. As such, VIVID is entertainment at its best. While it does not point any fingers, it also is not apolitical in the contemporary context.” It is not without reason that the headpiece designed by Philip Treacy that features on the show poster dazzles in all colours of the rainbow – it is a clear commitment to respect and diversity.

The show is scheduled to run for at least 12 months.

PHOTOS:
https://my.hidrive.com/share/82nouzarmc
www.palast.berlin/info/pressebereich/bildmaterial-logos/#vivid-grand-show

VIDEOS:
Raw footage and web video (98 seconds): https://my.hidrive.com/share/gu6ov4a9jy
Show trailer (58 seconds): www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NBqoyxc6EY

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181012005266/en/

Contact:

AFP Services Germany Richard Mächtel +49 3030876503 Richard.maechtel@sid.de