Premiere
The Land of Smiles

Immling Festival Hall, Halfing, Germany

Scene 3 from the opera "The Land of Smiles", photo 1

Scene 1 from the opera "The Land of Smiles", photo 2

Scene 2 from the opera "The Land of Smiles", photo 3

Scene 4 from the opera "The Land of Smiles", photo 4

Scene 5 from the opera "The Land of Smiles", photo 5

Scene 6 from the opera "The Land of Smiles", photo 6

Scene 7 from the opera "The Land of Smiles", photo 7

Scene 8 from the opera "The Land of Smiles", photo 8

Scene 9 from the opera "The Land of Smiles", photo 9

Scene 10 from the opera "The Land of Smiles", photo 10

Scene 11 from the opera "The Land of Smiles", photo 11

All photos (11)

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6 PM

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Important Info

Festival: Immling Festival 2023

Type: Operetta

City: Halfing, Germany

Starts at: 18:00

Acts: 3

Intervals: 1

Duration: 2h 15min

Sung in: German

Titles in: German

Ticket delivery: E-Tickets

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

Can I choose my seats?

You can only select the category, and not the exact seats.
If you order 2 or 3 tickets: your seats will be next to each other.
If you order 4 or more tickets: your seats will be next to each other, or, if this is not possible, we will provide a combination of groups of seats (at least in pairs, for example 2+2 or 2+3).

Festival

Immling Festival 2023

The festival on the Gutshof near Halfing is a must, especially for opera lovers. Since the first event by Ludwig Baumann, the riding hall has now been converted into an air-conditioned festival hall with the most comfortable seating. The ensemble consists of international singers with several own opera productions. The events, which now have cult status, range from studio concerts to youth operas.

Overview

Culture clash from Austria to China with Viennese charm & Sachertorte, Buddha & lotus blossom - that's what Das Land des Smiles promises , an operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár, premiered in 1929 in Berlin's Metropol-Theater.

Vienna, 1912. Winning a horse show and the birthday of his own daughter give Count von Lichtenfels twice the reason to throw a lavish party. Lisa, the birthday girl, promptly falls in love with Prince Sou-Chong, who is also a guest: his exotic aura, his special appearance, his reserved manner - all of this fascinates the young Austrian.

Finally she follows the prince to China, against all warnings and critical voices from home. Together with him she ends up in Beijing, in the "Land of Smiles", and cultural differences and thus unexpected sides of the beloved soon become apparent. Lisa longs to return to her homeland.

History

Premiere of this production: 10 October 1929, Metropol Theater, Berlin (revised version)

The Land of Smiles (German: Das Land des Lächelns) is a romantic operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár. The German language libretto was by Ludwig Herzer and Fritz Löhner-Beda. The performance time is about 100 minutes. This was one of Lehár's later works, and has a bittersweet ending which the Viennese loved. The title refers to the supposed Chinese custom of smiling, whatever happens in life. (The leading character, Prince Sou-Chong has a song early in the show, "Immer nur lächeln" ("Always smiling") which describes this.)

Synopsis

The operetta is set in Vienna and China in 1912. In act 1 in Vienna, the heroine Countess Lisa marries a Chinese prince and returns with him to his homeland despite the warnings of her friends and family. In act 2, in Peking, she finds that she is unable to come to terms with his culture, and especially that he must take other wives. He assures her that it is just a formality, but unhappiness is inevitable, and she is locked in the palace. Her love changes to hate. In act 3, Prince Sou-Chong is left alone while his beloved Lisa returns to her homeland. His sister, Princess Mi had also become attached to the Viennese official Gustav, and so the ending is doubly sad. But the prince respects the rule of his custom: always smile.

Venue Info

Immling Festival Hall - Halfing
Immling

Located on the idyllic grounds of Gut Immling near Halfing in the Chiemgau region of Upper Bavaria, the Festspielhaus Immling is the heart of the Immling Festival and one of Germany’s most distinctive summer opera venues. Surrounded by green meadows, forests, and the Alpine foothills, the theatre offers a rare combination of professional opera production standards and the intimate atmosphere of a countryside festival.

The venue has a unique history. What began in 1997 as a temporary solution in a riding hall developed into a fully equipped festival theatre specially adapted for opera performances. Over the years, the former equestrian space was transformed into a modern, climate-controlled Festspielhaus with carefully designed acoustics and comfortable seating, allowing audiences to enjoy full-scale opera productions in an exceptional rural setting.

As the main stage of the Immling Festival, the Festspielhaus presents ambitious productions of opera, operetta, and musical theatre. Each summer, the theatre welcomes international singers, conductors, and creative teams for newly staged productions of works from the great operatic repertoire. The programme traditionally combines beloved masterpieces with innovative interpretations, making the festival an important destination for opera lovers in southern Germany.

The intimate scale of the Festspielhaus creates a particularly engaging connection between performers and audiences. Unlike large metropolitan opera houses, the venue allows spectators to experience dramatic storytelling, vocal artistry, and orchestral colour at close range, while benefiting from professional stage technology and festival-level production quality.

The setting of Gut Immling adds a special dimension to every visit. Before and after performances, guests can enjoy the peaceful festival grounds, the surrounding Chiemgau landscape, and the welcoming atmosphere of the estate, where music becomes part of a complete cultural experience rather than simply an evening performance.

Combining the intimacy of a summer festival with the artistic standards of a professional opera house, the Festspielhaus Immling offers a unique experience where world-class voices, captivating productions, and the natural beauty of Bavaria come together in perfect harmony.