HANNIBAL is back Hannibal on the glacier's tongue - Sölden

<strong>HANNIBAL</strong> <strong>is</strong> <strong>back</strong>
Audience interest remains high
Austria | Sölden | Rettenbach Glacier
Friday, April 12 th 2013 | 19.30 | dusk
<strong>Hannibal</strong> on the glacier’s tongue
No end to the stage, no drawing floor, no orchestra pit – nothing can
stop <strong>Hannibal</strong> on the Rettenbach Glacier. The scenery in th<strong>is</strong> icy
world in the midst of 3000 m peaks in the Ötztal Alps <strong>is</strong> as
magnificent as the mountains themselves. 300 professional
sportsmen, pilots of the Flying Bulls, dancers and mountain climbers
– an entire village <strong>is</strong> up and about while 37 snow groomers are
pounding over the glacier, representing <strong>Hannibal</strong>’s elephants. All of
th<strong>is</strong> will happen on April 12 th 2013. After a break of one year
<strong>Hannibal</strong> once again attempts h<strong>is</strong> biggest coup: the crossing of the
Alps.
“We are happy to see that the <strong>Hannibal</strong> project <strong>is</strong> setting an international benchmark when it comes to
connecting culture and tour<strong>is</strong>m”, says Jack Falkner from Mountain Railways Sölden. In 2001, together
with Dietrich Mateschitz, he had the idea to connect skiing and aviation with classic mythology in
contemporary fashion.
The art group Lawine Torrèn stages <strong>Hannibal</strong>’s life story in the form of a breath-taking glacier
spectacle and as a modern parable about leadership, intrigues, world politics, and the striving for
power. Today's western world was shaped <strong>back</strong> then: although Carthage was within a wh<strong>is</strong>ker of
becoming the world's greatest power, Rome won the dec<strong>is</strong>ive battle. The upr<strong>is</strong>ing in the Arab countries
shows how h<strong>is</strong>tory can repeat itself. One of the key cities <strong>back</strong> then was Carthage, today’s Tun<strong>is</strong>.
The imposing mountain scenery of the Rettenbach glacier and a snow pyramid provide the stage for
the multi-media show. Th<strong>is</strong> amazing production, staged 3000 m above sea level, <strong>is</strong> as unique as was
<strong>Hannibal</strong>’s crossing of the Alps with 60,000 soldiers and 37 elephants: a thunderous and yet sensitive
choreography of dancers and avalanches, snow groomers, airplanes, helicopters, skidoos, parachut<strong>is</strong>ts
and skiers.

Harald Krassnitzer narrates the story accompanied by an intoxicating soundtrack. From dusk until total
darkness cutting edge light design and special effects reinforce the enormous size of the stage. The TV
channel Carthage TV reports breaking news from the studio next to the snow pyramid, which
alternately represents Carthage and Rome.
“Ten thousands of v<strong>is</strong>itors act as multiplicators of a spectacular show which <strong>is</strong> designed as a direct
experience for all senses and <strong>is</strong> staged in a landscape which we want to show as untouched as
possible. During the day thousands of skiers on the slopes hardly look further than the tips of their
sk<strong>is</strong>. During the evening of the show, however, when the mountains’ endless silence streams down
from the slopes and floods the place, their excited eyes will look up to the bizarre forms of ice and
snow. In today’s media-centred world th<strong>is</strong> natural spectacle <strong>is</strong> forward-thinking and acts against the
loss of nature. A well thought-through adventure, which <strong>is</strong> staged analogously and in real time”, says
director Hubert Lepka.
The story:
218 BC <strong>Hannibal</strong> of Carthage crossed the Alps in only 10 days with 60,000 men and 37 elephants. He
overcame steep mountain sides, quickly changing weather and avalanches to then defeat the Roman
army in today’s Italy. Although <strong>Hannibal</strong>’s army was superior, they did not conquer the city of Rome.
Th<strong>is</strong> hesitation had h<strong>is</strong>toric consequences: the Roman Empire struck <strong>back</strong> and defeated <strong>Hannibal</strong> in the
battle of Zama under the leadership of Scipio. Rome became the leading power in the Mediterranean
while Carthage, which was located near today’s Tun<strong>is</strong>, lost all of its status.
The initiator of the <strong>HANNIBAL</strong> project Ernst Lorenzi describes the atmosphere up on 3000 m altitude
just before the end of the show as follows: “The battle of Zama roars at the tongue of the glacier.
Directly in front of the spectators <strong>Hannibal</strong> <strong>is</strong> defeated by h<strong>is</strong> Roman counterpart Scipio. While humans
and machines head towards culmination in frantic chaos, <strong>Hannibal</strong> flees the scenery quietly, dangling
from a helicopter upside down.”
Booking and ticket sales
www.hannibal.soelden.com
Mountain Railways Sölden +43 5254 508 113, m.falkner@soelden.com
or Ötztal Tour<strong>is</strong>m +43 52700
Team
Staging: Lawine Torrèn
Text: Joey Wimplinger
Speaker: Harald Krassnitzer
Music composition: Peter Valentin
Choreography: Donna Jewell

Light design: Frank L<strong>is</strong>chka
Video: Stefan Aglassinger
Head of production: Klaudia Gründl de Keijzer
Idea and director: Hubert Lepka
Construction: Mountain Railways Sölden
Initiator: Ernst Lorenzi