©Passion Play Oberammergau 2022
©Passion Play Oberammergau 2022

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Meet the actor who will play Jesus in the 2020 Oberammergau Passion Play

If you're looking for a real bucket-list experience to have in 2020, we've got just the thing. 

2020 is your next chance to witness the legendary Oberammergau Passion Play, which, if you miss, you'll be waiting another decade to see. 

The Passion Play began in 1633 after villagers in the Bavarian village of Oberammergau were struck by the plague. Once the disease took hold of the area, the local people made an eternal promise to God that if he spared the village of its deadly grasp, they would honour and thank Him by acting out his life, suffering, death, and resurrection every ten years.

Incredibly, the promise has been kept all these years and next year will mark the Passion Play’s 42nd performance since its debut in 1634. It truly is a transcendent experience and one that will stay with you long after you return home. Want to know more about this legendary event? Read our "Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Oberammergau" blog here. 

We spoke to actor and villager Frederik Mayet (pictured right), who will be playing the role of Jesus in the 2020 production about what the play's legacy means to him.  

“I was in the play for the first time in the year 2000, when I played John the Apostle. I was invited by the director, Christian Stückl, to attend some castings and after turning up several times I was surprised – and more than happy – when he suggested that I played the role of John. Cast members show a real dedication to being part of the Passion Play. We start with the beard and hair-growing around one year ahead of the premiere. The first half of this year is spent rehearsing, while the other half is filled with performances. Almost half of our whole village is involved, and our aim is to bring a great Passion Play to the stage for our visitors.”

“It’s not often that you find such a famous and long-standing tradition in a small village, like Oberammergau – it truly is so special to be part of the play. I remember back in 1990, when I was 10-years-old, I sat in the audience and watched the Passion Play with my great-grandmother. For me, this is one of the best places to live.”

When asked if there's anything particular about the charming village he would recommend to unfamiliar visitors, Frederik added: "I would go to the Romanshöhe. That is a small restaurant on the hills of Oberammergau. You have to walk there for 35 minutes. But they have the Kaiserschmarrn (cut-up and sugared pancake with raisins) in town. That is typical dish in our region."

If you're interested in attending this once-per-decade event, we can take you there.

Oberammergau & Lake Constance

Spend six glorious days on the shores of Lake Constance during this memorable tour, which includes tickets to the once-per-decade Passion Play itself. You'll visit Insel Mainau, one of the most splendid garden sites in Europe – and getting there is half the fun as we cruise at a leisurely pace along the lake. Elsewhere, we visit a couple of hugely impressive Baroque palaces, a richly decorated monastery in an idyllic setting and finally a selection of small yet charming gardens set among the mediaeval walls of Wangen im Allgäu. On our way to Bregenz, we call in at the unmissable fairy-tale castle of Neuschwanstein (pictured right) and on the final leg of our journey we end on a suitably spiritual note at the Pilgrimage Church of Wies, a Rococo masterpiece.

Click here to view the full itinerary. 

Oberammergau & the Austrian Tyrol

This is a six-day tour that takes in sights and sites in both Austria and Germany. Our focus might be on Oberammergau on this tour, but there’s more to Bavaria than just passion plays and historic pacts — this is the land of storybook castles and dramatic landscapes straight out of a Brothers Grimm fairytale. And just a short hop over the border in Austria, even more beauty awaits — even better, we think we might have found the best way to see it all. Join us as we hop aboard the Zillertal Steam Railway, clink our complimentary glasses of schnapps and sit back to admire the scenery in comfort and luxury. Taking us from the market town of Jenbach to the chic ski resort of Mayrhofen, which sits in the shadow of the great ‘Hintertux Glacier’, this is one picturesque journey that’s hard to beat. In Salzburg, you can even choose between a Mozart or The Sound of Music themed excursion!

Click here now to view the full itinerary. 

View our full range of Oberammergau holidays here

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Meet the actor who will play Jesus in the 2020 Oberammergau Passion Play was published on 18 December 2019

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