The Name of the Rose — Theater Performance Stiftskirche Quedlinburg

Eco in the Original Setting

The return of "The Name of the Rose" to the Stiftskirche St. Servatii is a minor sensation in the Central German theater scene. Umberto Eco's novel from 1980 is set in a fictional Benedictine abbey in the year 1327 – while the Stiftskirche St. Servatii in Quedlinburg is not Benedictine, as a Romanesque church from the 11th-12th century, it provides a backdrop atmospherically closer to the subject matter than any theater stage in the world.

The scenic adaptation by Claus J. Frankl, based on Burkhardt Kroeber's German translation, adapted by Rosmarie Vogtenhuber-Freitag, is produced by the Harztheater (Halberstadt/Quedlinburg). Stefan Werner Dick takes on the role of the Franciscan monk William of Baskerville, who, with his pupil Adson of Melk, investigates a mysterious series of murders in a remote abbey. Eric Eisenach plays the inquisitor Bernardo Gui, Julia Siebenschuh plays Salvatore.

What makes the performances exceptional is not just the architecture. The acoustics of the Romanesque collegiate church, the candlelight, the fog effects – everything adds up to a theatrical experience that would not be possible in a normal playhouse. Those who are not yet familiar with the original setting should plan a day trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town of Quedlinburg.

Quedlinburg is located in the Harz district, on the northeastern edge of the Harz Mountains, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The Stiftskirche St. Servatii on the Schloßberg is part of the UNESCO World Heritage and the Romanesque Road. It is open all year round for concerts and special events – "The Name of the Rose" is the most elaborate and longest of these formats.