Der letzte Takt (Grand Finale, Fullt hús) 
Iceland
2024
Opening 12 Jun 2025
Directed by:
Sigurjón Kjartansson
Writing credits:
Sigurjón Kjartansson
Principal actors:
Helga Braga Jónsdóttir, Hilmir Snær Guðnason, Ilmur Kristjánsdóttir, Halldór Gylfason
The Icelandic Chamber Orchestra features six players of string instruments, a sextette more or less, led by violinist Sigriòur (Helga Bragan Jónsdóttir). Klemens (Hilmir Snaer Guánason) is a world-famous cellist. After 20 years of touring (including with the San Francisco Orchestra in Tokyo), he decides to return to his home in Iceland. He offers his talents to the local Chamber Orchestra, which is helpful because the orchestra was soon to lose its contract. But it also means that the original cellist must drop out. Klemens is a talented musician; he also seduces women, in spite of having a wife and an eight-year-old son. Soon he has affairs with Sigriòur as well as another violinist in the sextette. Things change when Klemens chokes on a small plum and is suddenly immobile. However, “the show must go on, koste es was es wolle (no matter what the cost)” The group continues with seemingly no changes, although this one member is unable to play.
A great help to the group is a young woman who works with marionettes, which is needed in the end. All action is accompanied by 17 songs, mostly classical music, e.g., Beethoven or Mozart, usually presented on string instruments. I especially enjoyed Der letzte Takt (which translates literally to The Last Beat) because I played cello for six years in my school orchestra. However, I never played standing barefoot on a cliff overlooking a sea. (Becky Tan)
