Based on the life of Albert Einstein, Einstein – A Matter of Time follows the scientist's personal and intellectual journey, from his student years to his later life in exile. Created by Frank Wildhorn and Gil Mehmert, the German-language musical premiered in 2025 and makes its China debut in Shanghai in December 2026.

About the Show

Einstein – A Matter of Time is a new original German-language musical created by composer Frank Wildhorn and writer-director Gil Mehmert. Drawing on Albert Einstein's life, the production explores the scientist's pursuit of knowledge, personal relationships, and the challenges he faced throughout his career.

The story begins in 1896, when Einstein enters the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and meets fellow student Mileva Marić. As he develops the theory of relativity while working at the patent office, his personal life becomes increasingly strained. During World War I, his anti-war stance leaves him isolated, but it is also during this period that he completes the general theory of relativity, later confirmed through a solar eclipse.

The musical follows Einstein through his rise to international recognition, the growing political tensions that forced him into exile, and his later years in Princeton, where he reflects on the meaning of his lifelong search for understanding.

Premiering in March 2025, the production received positive responses from both audiences and critics. Its Shanghai performances in December 2026 mark the musical's first appearance in China.

Cast & Creatives

Awards

At the 2025 Deutscher Musical Theater Preis, the production received four awards and eight nominations.

Awards

• Best Actor
• Best Actress
• Best Supporting Actor
• Best Stage Design

Nominations

• Best Musical
• Best Musical Direction
• Best Lighting Design
• Best Sound Design

Why Go

This production offers the chance to see a recent German-language musical making its China debut. Rather than focusing only on Einstein's scientific achievements, it explores the relationship between his discoveries, personal life, and historical events. With music by Frank Wildhorn, a creative team led by Gil Mehmert, and German-language performance with Chinese and English subtitles, it presents a contemporary musical portrait of one of history's most influential scientists.