Beethoven Wars
Théâtre des Arts,
Rouen
Beethoven Wars stands out as an innovative multimedia project, a dynamic fusion of classical music, science fiction, manga, and stunning visuals. Conducted by Laurence Equilbey and directed by Antonin Baudry, the show reimagines Beethoven’ss largely forgotten musical dramas King Stephan and The Ruins of Athens, bringing them to life as the first-ever manga opera in a visually captivating animated production.
The performance is a powerful and immensely successful blend of Beethoven’s colourful arrangements, the stories of August von Kotzebue, and the aesthetics of manga’s distinct cartoon style. In fact, the choice to pair manga animation with Beethoven’s powerful score offers a new way of connecting with audiences who may not usually attend classical music performances. It is one of those perhaps uncommon moments where three generations of a family can be seen enjoying the same experience together. Attendance figures from the show’s debut at La Seine Musicale in Paris last May prove just that: 63% of attendees were first-time visitors, and 50% were under the age of 20.
Yet despite its innovative format, Beethoven’s original score remains central to the project’s core. Speaking to Equilbey after one of three performances in Rouen, she explained to me that unlike traditional cine-concerts where an orchestra plays along to a pre-existing film, Beethoven Wars does the opposite; the visuals were created to accompany the music.
The film was storyboarded around Beethoven’s compositions, ensuring that each moment on screen was driven by the score. The project involved two animation studios: one for 2D manga-style character animation and another for 3D backgrounds, combining them into stunning 12K-resolution imagery, far beyond standard cinema quality.
It would be easy to assume that with such a strong visual emphasis, the orchestra and choir could fade into the background. However, both remain central to the performance, with drama unfolding both on stage and screen. As soloists take the spotlight and the use of costumes enhance the baritone and soprano duet, the real challenge becomes choosing whether to focus on the intricately detailed manga animation or the captivating live performance of the orchestra.
And whilst the opera’s lyrics remain in the original German, the project feels contemporary. The emphasis is clear: the purpose of Beethoven Wars is not just to engage but also to educate, inspire, and showcase the enduring appeal of Beethoven’s work to audiences of all ages. In this way, the fast-paced nature of the opera suits modern audiences, with short, impactful musical moments rather than lengthy symphonies. The arguably short (by operatic standards) 1-hour show is made up of an impressive 22 cues.
Beyond its musical and visual spectacle, Beethoven Wars carries deeper thematic weight. Equilbey explained to me that Beethoven was not only a musical genius, but also a humanist and utopian thinker – someone who spoke about peace, politics, and the importance of both the arts and sciences. His concerns about environmental issues were ahead of his time, even warning about lead contamination in water, which ultimately contributed to his death. Beethoven Wars intertwines these themes with modern concerns, presenting a world where ecological disaster makes Earth uninhabitable.
Above all, Beethoven Wars serves as a lasting tribute to the significance of both the arts and sciences, evoking powerful imagery of the natural world. Whilst its intergalactic sci-fi setting may feel far removed from our present day, there are constant parallels.
With 2027 coinciding with the bicentenary year of Beethoven’s death, there is the perfect opportunity to bring the show to a British audience at London’s Proms. The show continues to tour Aix-en-Provence and Hong Kong in March, before returning to a Parisian audience next year. 