Ich war noch niemals in New York

On 17 March 2010 the curtain rose on a premiere in the RAIMUND THEATER. The VEREINIGTE BÜHNEN WIEN (VBW) welcomed visitors to the start of the comedy musical ICH WAR NOCH NIEMALS IN NEW YORK (“I Have Never Been to New York”, a production licensed from STAGE ENTERTAINMENT) which features 21 songs by the great Austrian singer and entertainer Udo Jürgens. Following the premiere on 2 December 2007 in the TUI Operetta House in Hamburg, more than one million enthusiastic visitors went on board and set out on an epic voyage with the crew of a luxury liner. Since 17 March the same maritime flair can be enjoyed in Vienna.  The musical ICH WAR NOCH NIEMALS IN NEW YORK (book: Gabriel Barylli, co-writer: Christian Struppeck) whisks the audience away on a light-hearted and romantic sea cruise full of unfulfilled dreams and longing for distant places. 21 well-known and much-loved songs by Udo Jürgens such as "Aber bitte mit Sahne", "Mit 66 Jahren", "Vielen Dank für die Blumen" and "Ich war noch niemals in New York" form the nucleus of a swinging musical with the glamour of Broadway and top-class show elements that ensure the audience disembark with smiles on their faces.

36 singers and dancers, 24 of whom are on the stage of the RAIMUND THEATER every evening, a fascinating stage set and scenery that create the illusion of a cruise ship, sailors dancing in front of an enormous bow, passengers strolling along a seemingly endless sundeck – ICH WAR NOCH NIEMALS IN NEW YORK brings maritime flair to Vienna.

The VEREINIGTE BÜHNEN WIEN are delighted that they are once again able to present a top leading team and a first-class cast in this production.

Statement Udo Jürgens"For me as a composer, musician and singer with countless concerts to my name a dream has come true: my songs are being performed in a music theatre. Musical is a wonderful form, because audiences yearn for stories that are easy to follow and full of emotion! For songs they can identify with and that arouse familiar feelings. What I like particularly is that this musical tells a story that is true to life and features everyday situations that could in some way have happened to everyone everywhere. I think it captures the tone of my songs perfectly, because my songs are songs of today. They deal with fears and moments of joy in the present time. ICH WAR NOCH NIEMALS IN NEW YORK is a perceptive comedy and a musical with laughs – a piece of genuine entertainment!  "I took my first steps in the musical genre in Vienna in 1972 and enjoyed great success with HELDEN, HELDEN. The fact that ICH WAR NOCH NIEMALS IN NEW YORK, that has already been seen by over a million people in Hamburg, now returns to the city I started out in, and with my own songs, makes me happy and glad. I wish the production the very best of luck."