Sebastian

- Season 1

(2018)

Sebastian's father dies only ten months after his mother, leaving the boy orphaned. His stepmother refuses to take care of him so he has to go and live with his elder brother Christoph in Ohrdruf, a 35-mile walk in the freezing cold.

Sebastian attends school in the Ohrdruf Lyceum, but strict master Herda doesn't appreciate the boy's brilliant work. Chastised and locked up, he's eventually expelled. His last chance is going to a school in Lüneburg, 250 miles on foot.

When Sebastian finally arrives in Lüneburg with his friend Georg, headmaster Böhm isn't too keen to accept the boy because he's received a letter informing him of Sebastian's "abysmal nature". Still, he decides to give the boy a chance.

Sebastian gets leave to travel to Hamburg, where he'd like to meet the great master Reincken. The master isn't easily approachable as he still has a great number of students. Disappointed, Sebastian spends his last pennies on the opera.

Sebastian returns to Lüneburg, penniless and disappointed that he couldn't meet master Reincken. Suddenly, when he's on his way, a miracle happens.

Sebastian quits school as he's offered a job as organist. His enthusiasm fades quickly when he experiences little appreciation for his work and resistance from the boys of the youth orchestra. Then, he meets an angel.

Having to defend Barbara's honour doesn't come without a price when the culprit is the son of the head of the town council. Still, Sebastian obtains leave to go and visit Buxtehude, the greatest master of his time.

Sebastian gets a severe reprimand when he returns to Arnstadt three months late. Sick and tired of the narrow-mindedness of the town council, he decides to leave with Barbara and to get married.

Also in Mühlhausen Sebastian's music isn't appreciated as it supposedly distracts the congregation from its prayers. Then, in his moment of despair, Sebastian receives an unexpected offer.

Duke Wilhelm of Weimar is overjoyed with Sebastian's work and has great plans for him. Perhaps things are too good to be true? The Duke becomes ever more demanding and summons Sebastian day and night.

The French keyboard virtuoso Louis Marchand declares himself to be the absolute greatest. When he also wrongs Sebastian's friend Jan Woulmeyer, Sebastian looks for revenge and challenges Marchand to a duel.

The duke becomes jealous and possessive towards Sebastian. Then disaster strikes when Sebastian's newborn twins pass away and one of them gets buried in a mass grave because dead before baptised. It makes Sebastian doubt his faith.

The duke has organised a wedding between his nephew and the prince of Köthen's sister. He thinks low of the Köthen family and orders Sebastian to show off so he'll look better than the prince. His plan doesn't turn out the way he'd hoped.

Sebastian and his family are overjoyed with their new life at the Köthen court. He even ventures to use a new tuning system and insert unseen harmonies in his music.

Sebastian's still grieving for the loss of his youngest son and feels guilty about not being there for his wife when she needed him most. Still, he has to accompany his patron prince Leopold on a leisure trip to the spa city of Karlsbad.

Sebastian's devastated after he lost his beloved wife. Then he receives an urgent letter.