Tuesday, June 30, 2009

mystery dramas

"Art's way of absorbing a philosophy like anthroposophy was quite different from that of rationalism and intellectualism. Artistic representation is fuller of spirituality than the rationalistic concept."
- excerpt from Rudolf Steiner: An Illustrated Biography, Hemleben, page 22

Munich was home to Steiner's mystery dramas. These performances were not like theater plays in the traditional sense of the word. Acted out by dedicated professionals and amateurs, they were about human destinies. "Pilgrims of the spirit" travel in the spiritual world along a road of self-knowledge. In this life of meditation, they encounter trials and find consolation that go beyond the bounds of "normal earthly experience." The mystery dramas embody the knowledge found in Steiner's work; one might add that as an art form they represent his revelations of the spirit.

The first of these mystery dramas was presented in 1910 The Portal of Initiation. One every year thereafter was then produced. The Soul's Probation, 1911; The Guradian of the Threshhold, 1912; and The Soul's Awakening in 1913.

Christian Morgenstern wrote in 1913 "Steiner's Mystery is not a play but a portrayal of spiritual spheres and truths. "

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