Tabaluga is a media franchise featuring a fictional green dragon, created by German rock musicianPeter Maffay, children's songwriter Rolf Zuckowski and author Gregor Rottschalk. Artist Helme Heine drew the image of Tabaluga as it is currently known. The character Tabaluga was first introduced by Maffay in the musical fairy tale Tabaluga... oder die Reise zur Vernunft in 1983. This first studio album was the step to success: within the next years some Helme Heine books, four sequel concept studio albums, two tours, a stage musical, Tabaluga und Lilli, based on the third concept album and many TV cartoons which have been broadcasting in over 100 countries round the world followed and a children's game show. Over 100 kindergartens and child care groups carry the word "Tabaluga" in their names.
Tabaluga inhabits the fictional province of Greenland. He is about 8 dragon-years old. His father Tyrion died when he was six. Little is known about his mother. Following his father's death, Tabaluga was the last of the dragons and styled the crown-prince of Greenland, a place inhabited by talking animals of many different species. Tabaluga must defend his home from two rival kingdoms on either side of Greenland; a frigid arctic tundra, ruled by the evil snowman Arktos and a searing desert, ruled by an evil sand-spirit named Humsin.
Musical
The musical "Tabaluga & Lilli" celebrated its premiere on 24 September 1999 in the TheatrO CentrO, Oberhausen, and ran there until 30 June 2001. The little dragon managed to unite the High Society of German musical actors, with stars such as :de:Andreas Bieber|Andreas Bieber, :de:Ross Antony|Ross Antony, :de:Paul Kribbe|Paul Kribbe, :de:Carolin Fortenbacher|Carolin Fortenbacher
Concept albums
1983: "Tabaluga oder... Die Reise zur Vernunft", first concept album
1986: "Tabaluga und das leuchtende Schweigen", second concept album published in the UK 1988 as "Tabaluga and the Magic Jadestone"
1993: "Tabaluga und Lilli", third concept album
2002: "Tabaluga und das verschenkte Glück", fourth concept album
2011: "Tabaluga und die Zeichen der Zeit", fifth concept album
Tabaluga tivi
Tabaluga tivi was a 90-minute television children's entertainment and game show similar to Disney Club or its German derivative, Tigerenten Club, that ran on ZDF from 1997 to 2011. It featured the little green dragon Tabaluga, his friend Happy, his enemy Arktos as well as the Penguin Butler "James". It consisted of games, sketches, cartoons and short documentaries and was hosted by Tabaluga and some human co-hosts that changed multiple times over the years. In the show, two teams play against each other in five competition rounds to win prizes for themselves, and to win the contents of a treasure chest, which they can donate to their school, a children's home, etc. The broadcast is transmitted by ZDF and also KI.KA. In Summer 2005 the show celebrated its 400th transmission. The show is made for ZDF in co-production with MunichProduction Company MingaMedia and is made in the Bavaria-Studios in Unterföhring, near Munich.
