Oberammergau’s Passion
Every 10 years, a town in the Bavarian Alps stages a production that draws crowds of spectators from around the world
By Jennifer Davoren
A lot has changed over the last four centuries. In 1633, the residents of Oberammergau -- battered by the Thirty Years' War, facing crippling food shortages and ravaged by an outbreak of the bubonic plague -- needed an escape from earthly evils. In desperation, the villagers made a promise to a higher power: If Oberammergau found relief from war, famine and disease, its inhabitants would find a way to pay tribute to Jesus of Nazareth, his teachings and his ultimate sacrifice.
The following year, a healthier Oberammergau put on a passion play, a dramatic interpretation of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. According to local legend, the play was held in the village cemetery, on a stage surrounded by fresh graves. And as the plague outbreak waned and an end to the war drew closer, Oberammergau attributed its newfound prosperity to the passion play, and residents vowed to continue the performances.
Today, the Oberammergau Passion Play is one of the world's most popular faith-based events. It's also a formidable undertaking for the locals, as the play employs nearly 2,000 residents (almost 50 percent of the population) for ticket sales, set design and stage roles. A single performance takes nearly eight hours to complete.
All this might explain the play's unusual production schedule: It is offered every 10 years, with less than 100 performances per season. With a 5,000-seat theater playing host to the event, the town can expect half a million tourists to drop in over a six-month theatrical run.
Oberammergau's dedication has paid off, however. Every show of the 2000 season sold out months ahead of schedule. The same level of demand is expected for the play's upcoming 2010 performances, with the run lasting from May 15 through Oct. 3.
An escorted tour offers an easy option for travelers who want to see the passion play. This type of vacation not only combines the cost of accommodations, ground transportation, sightseeing excursions and some meals into one price that's paid up front, but it also can secure entrance to hot-ticket events like the passion play. Bogged down by millions of requests for tickets each season, passion play organizers often use escorted tour companies to fill their coveted seats with ease.
Vacations To Go, a Houston-based travel agency specializing in discounted vacations, is compiling a growing list of tour itineraries that include the Oberammergau Passion Play on its Web site, www.TourVacationsToGo.com/oberammergau. New tours and additional departure dates are continually added to the site as tour operators release their Oberammergau itineraries. At press time, 24 tours offering 573 departures were available, ranging from 10 to 22 days abroad.
"European Delight Plus Oberammergau" an escorted vacation from Trafalgar Tours' budget brand, Trafalgar CostSaver, spends time in Austria and Germany. The 10-day trip includes three days in Vienna, a day in Salzburg, two days in Munich and guaranteed tickets to the passion play. The play is an all-day affair, with the first half taking place from 2:30 to 5 p.m., and the second half from 8 to 10:30 p.m. A dinner is served between acts.
Trafalgar's "European Delight" includes an additional day in Oberammergau, giving travelers an opportunity to take in the town's fresco-adorned facades and shop for the finely detailed wood carvings for which local artisans are known. Prices for this vacation begin at $3,300 per person without airfare; 20 departures are offered between May 12 and Sept. 22, 2010.
Meanwhile, Globus offers the 11-day " German Highlights and Oberammergau." In addition to Oberammergau, the trip stops in Frankfurt, Cologne, Berlin, Nuremberg, Rothenburg, Munich and Heidelberg. A day cruise on the Rhine River provides a picturesque view of vineyards, castles and cliffs. More than 40 departure dates are available between May 9 and Sept. 28, 2010; call Vacations To Go, (800) 680-2858, for current price information.
Travelers with time to spare might try a panoramic view of Germany and its European neighbors. Trafalgar offers 15-, 16-, 18-, 21- and 22-day tours that stop in Oberammergau, with starting prices ranging from $4,230 to $6,205.
Among options is "European Whirl Plus Oberammergau" a 15-day trip that also incorporates London, Amsterdam, Venice, Rome, Florence, Lucerne and Paris in a packed itinerary. Twenty departure dates are offered from May 16 to Sept. 26, 2010, with rates that start at $4,590 per person, plus airfare.
Information: For more information on European tours that will include the 2010 performance of the famed Oberammergau Passion Play, visit Vacations To Go or contact a Vacations To Go travel counselor at (800) 680-2858.
The information in this story was accurate at the time it was published in July/August 2008.
Please visit Vacations To Go or call (800) 680-2858 for current rates and details.