After over ten years overwhelming success of the „alpine stable Christmas“ as part of the Christmas market we decided in 2012 to stick to and follow the unforgettable and true Christmas story. After her decision to write a libretto about the assistant priest Mohr and the village school teacher Gruber, two things were clear from the beginning: On the one hand she knew that the unique and thrilling story could never find a better setting than here in our village, the nicest Christmas market of the whole alpine region, and on the other hand she was sure that the whole village Bad Hindelang would support this wonderful story.

It is again always an impressive experience how many people work together and care for this project and stand up for the same goal. From the very beginning, the production in Bad Hindelang has worked with a lot of skill, commitment and passion – which is of course also necessary to put such a moving story into an extraordinary muscial staging. Our brilliant cast of actors, the production of costumes, the creation and the set building, the whole group of artists, the unique children and men choir, our members of the orchestra, the musical direction led by Ralf Ludwig, the composers Ludwig Thomas and Marco Hertenstein – they are all part of a gorgeous theater family, that together with the many helpers keep the Christmas market in Bad Hindelang on a high level.

Look forward to a very special experience „Silent Night“ is a story for young and old which over 200 years ago spread a message out to the whole world. One would like to make this message shine in new splendor and to bring people again closer to values such as cohesion, faith, confidence and peace.

Silent night is an alpine Christmas opera which makes vistors laugh and cry and makes people feel how unique Christmas time is.

He wrote the music for films like „Hidden Children – survival in the hide“, (Kasparfilm/ Kirsten, Esch). „Olympia murder – Munich, 72“ (ZDF), „Knef – the early years“, „Harlen – in the shadow of Jud Süss“ (NEF/Blueprint Film/Felix Moeller) and created the accompanying music for the DVD of the piano virtuous Lang Lang „Dragon songs“ (Deutsche Gramophon/Nightfrog, Benedict Mirow).

Besides Hartenstein composed numerous concertant commissioned works, beyond that violine partita „Partita Nuova“ for the Bach academy Stuttgart (premiered at the European music festival Stuttgart by star violinist Julia Fischer), „L’odeur de l’assassin“ („The scent of the murder“) for viola and piano for Nils Mönkemeyer (Klassik Echo 2009). He also composed works for orchestra and soloists as well as for choir and chamber music. In 2009 his fairy tale opera „Die verlorenen Gedanken“ („The lost thoughts“) were presented on stage at the Gärternplatz. In spring 2010 he was awarded fo his „complementary cycle of Camille Saens‘ „Carneval of the animals“ with the title „The gate to the tale world“ for two pianos, orchestra and speakers.

Marco Hartenstein was awarded the „Franz-Grothe-Prize“ and the „Rolf-Hans-Müller-Prize“. He received recognition for the soundtrack music for films he contributed to such as the German TV prize, the prize for the best documentary film at the Kuala-Lumpar-film festival 2009 and the „preservation of audiovisual memory award 2009“ at the Jerusalem-film-festival.

Studies at the music university and the LM university in Munich as well as his private study in vocals and actor language at Prof. Langen completed his education as professional musician who feels at home in different music styles.

25 years concert activity as bariton, cofounder of the vocal ensemble „The Singphoniker“ – (the „singphonist“ – compound noun of singer and symphonists) as well as numerous international primed CD-recordings give a lasting renown to his work as composer and arranger. During his career he has often come across the musical topic of Christmas. He set to music „Holy night“ by Ludwig Thoma for the Munich men choir and created a song cycle of European Christmas songs for the vocal ensemble „Die Singphoniker“ („The singphonists“).

At the moment he is composing the alpine Christmas opera „Silent Night“ in cooperation with the composer Marco Hertenstein.

Als Knabensolist sang er u.a. unter Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado und Nikolaus Harnoncourt in den großen Opernhäusern und Konzertsälen des In- und Auslandes. Seine Ausbildung ergänzte er in Holland und Osnabrück im Bereich Gesang, Dirigieren und Schulmusik.

Ralf Ludwig was significantly involved in the installation of the Bach ensemble for old music in the Netherlands. As voice teacher and choir master he taught at different music schools in northern Germany. In 1997 he received his diploma as speech therapist. In 2002 the multiple award-winning choir conductor and song solist returned to his Tölzer choir where he began working as voice coach with the boy choir. Here he was four years art director and chief executive officer.

In 2014 at the beginning of September due to his foundation of the „Munich boy choir“ he gave up his functions at the Tölzer boy choir.