The Austrian ski resort of Sölden’s magnificent recreation of Hannibal’s trek across the Alps with his elephants is back after the usual pandemic break that has stopped so many events in the mountains.
Hannibal will cross the Alps once more on 22nd April at 7.30pm
The production focuses on Hannibal’s move in 218 BC, in response to years of Roman provocation, to cross the – then as now – majestic and formidable Alps together with 60,000 people, half of them Europeans, half Africans, along with those 36 elephants.
Taking place 3,000m up on the Rettenbach glacier, the epic show sees helicopters, planes and piste bashers (the latter doubling as elephants), supported by over 300 performers and dancers on a stage made of eternal ice and snow.
Created in the mountains of Tirol, the show is created in collaboration with Red Bull and the Lawine Torrèn artistic network and draws parallels between events 2,200 years ago and those of modern times.
The ski area has been staging the annual show for over two decades now, regardless of the weather, and over 75,000 people have seen it since the first extravaganza was staged in 2001. Around 8,000 are expected to be there for Hannibal’s return.
The Romans’ goal was to wear Carthage down. But they didn’t count on Hannibal and his ingenious feeling for people, leadership and his great luck.
“Snow groomers become elephants, hundreds of skiers and paragliders illuminate the horizon and merge with Frank Lischka’s spectacular light to create real immersion,” said the man who conceived it all, Ernst Lorenzi adding that “…the overwhelming natural setting and everything that happens in it are closely linked to a modern parable about striving for power, love, intrigues and world politics.”
