Reading the Brontës' works, the pupils and their teacher realise that what the Brontë sisters have left in their novels and letters, although set in the Victorian era, is quite sudden surprisingly contemporary, and they identify themselves increasingly with the sisters. The young women of today and here and the three dead writers become "sisters in spirit". Ultimately, the Brontës die young, but leave world literature that must be seen as a milestone of emancipation. Addicted to opium and alcohol, and full of despair about his own lack of genius, the brother dies first of tuberculosis. Shortly thereafter Emily follows and the second-youngest sister Anne a year later. After the death of all of her siblings Charlotte Brontë gives up the utopia of freedom and self-determination and marries the staid curate Arthur Nicholls, who urges her to stop writing. Even in today's Berlin, in terms of emancipation the story ends rather with a set of knowledge gains than with a "happy ending". World premiere Schwestern im Geiste was specifically written for graduates of the Universität der Künste (University of Arts) by the author and director Peter Lund who has worked here as a professor. The world premiere was the result of a longstanding cooperation between the Universität der Künste and Neuköllner Oper Berlin instead, and it took place there on March 13, 2014 in the Neukölln Opera, Berlin. The musical is subtitled by the author itself as a "musical journey through time". Reviews "I hope every casting director and agent in town has been to see this show. [...] the best student performance I have ever seen" (Kurt Gänzl: The Bronte Babes in Berlin. Großes Lob von Kurt Gänzl für Berliner Musical-Student*innen, musical&Co, April 20, 2014.) "A glorious staging of the story of the three Brontë sisters!" (Tatiana Michael: livekritik (livekritik.de, 14.03.2014 )) "when the whole ensemble plunges singing and dancing into the fray of the opinions of scandal and success, the evening has a real blast" (Peter Hans Göpfert: "Schwestern im Geiste" (kulturradio, 14.3.14)) "The ladies all have distinctive voices and implement them astonishing under the baton of Hans -Peter Kirchberg." (Kevin Clarke: Eine musikalische Zeitreise zu den drei Brontës (KLASSIK.com, 14.3.14)) Ensembles and productions Performance in Berlin, 2014 13 March to 25 April 2014 Cast Conductor: Hans-Peter Kirchberg / Tobias Bartholmeß Choreography: Neva Howard Director: Peter Lund Stage: Ulrike Reinhard Costumes: Anna Hostert Actors Katharina Abt (Anne Brontë)