The "Wolfenbüttler Marienklage" as a musical and scenic experience

A special highlight in the supporting program of the exhibition "Praymobil. Medieval Art in Motion", the Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum has announced a special highlight for Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 5.00 pm: In the church of St. Adalbert in Aachen, the "Wolfenbüttler Marienklage", created around 1420, will be presented in a musical-scenic performance by the renowned ensemble Ordo Virtutum. Medieval art steps out of the museum space and comes to life - Praymobil live! A transportable figure of Christ is used to illustrate the connection with the exhibition at the SLM.

The "Wolfenbüttler Marienklage" is one of the most important German-language spiritual plays of the late Middle Ages. It centers on Mary's lament in the face of Jesus' death on the cross. The manuscript, which is now kept in Wolfenbüttel, was specially transcribed for the performance; Brunswick is thought to be the original place of performance.

The Ordo Virtutum ensemble, founded by Prof. Dr. Stefan Johannes Morent (Chair of Digital Musicology and Music before 1600, University of Tübingen), is one of the leading specialist ensembles for medieval music. It combines artistic interpretation with intensive musicological research and thus opens up authentic access to the world of sound and imagination of medieval Europe. International appearances at festivals in Europe, the USA and Australia as well as multiple award-winning CD recordings - including in virtually reconstructed church halls at Cluny and Reichenau in collaboration with SWR - underline the ensemble's special position. The press particularly praises the "artistic mastery in singing and instrumental playing". The performance in St. Adalbert is the result of the ensemble's many years of exploring the medieval playing traditions of Europe. The focus is on historical performance practices, scenic realization models, the development of a differentiated gestural language and singing and instrumental styles typical of the period.

The event is part of the program accompanying the exhibition "Praymobil. Medieval Art in Motion", which can be seen at the Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum until March 15, 2026. The exhibition is dedicated to the question of how medieval sculptures, devotional images and liturgical objects are not to be understood as static works of art, but as moving, performative and sensually tangible media of religious practice. Processions, games, prayers and rituals become visible as central contexts in which these works of art once operated. With the performance in St. Adalbert, the museum focuses on the connection between art, body, sound and space - and consciously builds a bridge between the exhibition and living performance practice.

Tickets are only available online via the ticket store: https://22196.reservix.de/p/reservix/event/2492205

Contact for questions about the event: eventslm@mail.aachen.de