Der Fluch des Drachen (German for The curse of the dragon) is a so called "Fantastical" by the Band Corvus Corax, the writer Markus Heitz and actor Johannes Steck. It has been released as a Concept Album / Audio Book and also played live as a Musical.
The story follows the smith Adamas, who is driven out of his hometown because the people fear his supernatural powers. He meets the king of his country, who gives him a quest to fetch seven special items. Whoever manages this shall be the new king. But the king and his loyal knight are not as benevolent as Adamas thinks and there is another enemy coming from the north.
Der Fluch des Drachen provides examples of:
open/close all folders
General
- Black Vikings: Runa the witch, who is said to come from Grim Up North (from the point of view of a Medieval European Fantasy world, so likely a Skandinavian setting) is played by Ji-In Cho, who visibly has Korean ancestry.
- Character Signature Song: "Gesegnet und hoch geachtet" gets played whenever Shigeru appears.
- Death of the Hypotenuse: Runa dies in the final act, thus cleaning up Adamas' Love Triangle with her and Leander.
- Distant Duet: "Das Reich wird mein für alle Zeit" is one between King Philipp, who sings about his plans to be king forever, and his daughter Marlies, who plots to get rid of her father and inherit the kingdom.
- Dragon Ancestry: This is implied to be the reason for Adamas' (and to a lesser extent Shigeru's) supernatural powers.
- Grim Up North: Runa mentions in her song that she comes from the North where the wild hordes are.
- The Horde: Runa mentions these people living in the north where she comes from.
- "I Am" Song: Every major character has one song that explains their motives and introduces them to the plot.
- Magical Asian: Shigeru is a mentor to Adamas and comes from a nondescript country from the east. His name implies the country is Japan.
- Patricide: Marlie's intends to do this, but her father is killed by Adamas before she can do it.
- Villain Song: Since every major character gets a song, so do the villians like King Philipp, Marlies, Leander and Furio.
- Were Dragon: The dragon Furio first appears disguised as normal human.
CD Version
- Rock Opera: The CD version is a combination of this and an audio book.
- Special Guest: The album version includes some singers from other bands voicing their characters:
- Shigeru is sung by Alea from Saltatio Mortis
- Runa is sung by Ji-In Cho from And Then She Came
- Leander is sung by Holly Loose from Letzte Instanz
- Leandra is sung by Maxi Kerber
- Princess Marlies is sung by Katja Moslehner from Faun
- Yellowface: The Caucasian singer Alea der Bescheidene lends his voice to the East Asian character Shigeru.
Live Version
- Actor Swap: While some singers from the cd version reprise their role in the stage play, some do not. For example, Shigeru is swapped from Alea to Ji-In Cho.
- All Musicals Are Adaptations: Arguably, it's an adaption of the CD version. But both were produced at the same time and the musical only came out shortly after the CD.
- Crosscast Role: Ji-In Cho plays the male character Shigeru
