Wergo release another highlight in their Carl Orff DVD edition: a film version of Orff's first stage work 'Gisei - Das Opfer' by the film director Peider A Defilla - music drama after the Japanese tragedy 'Terakoya' in a German translation by Karl Florenz.

'Gisei' is set in the year 902 in a village school in Japan and is about the sacrificial death of a child. Both the subject and Japanese culture greatly inspired the young Carl Orff, and he remained an afficionado of Japan all his life. In the Japanese tragedies, Orff also found numerous references to the ancient Greek tragedies by Sophocles with which he concerned himself decades later.

This DVD shows the world premiere production by John Dew (who was recently awarded the Carl Orff Prize 2012) at the Darmstadt State Theatre. Lavish costumes as well as carefully rehearsed facial expressions and gestures convey a deep impression of this tragedy.

The following 15-minute bonus film includes interesting additional information on Orff's oeuvre and particularly on his work on 'Gisei'.

Cast:
- Aki Hashimoto (Kwan Shusai/Kotaro)
- Oleksandr Prytolyuk (Genzo)
- Susanne Serfling (Tonami)
- Andreas Daum (Matsuo/1st figure)
- Anja Vincken (Chiyo/2nd figure)
- Sven Ehrke (Gemba)

Stage director: John Dew