Jesus Christ Superstar is a British rock opera and cultural phenomenon based on the story of the last week in the life of Jesus, another fruit of the fruitful collaboration between composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and songwriter Tim Rice. The rock opera was also produced in 1971 as a musical, and later as a motion picture of the same name, shot in Israel in 1973. Today we will explore some of Jesus Christ Superstar Film Locations in Israel.
The rock opera was first produced in 1970 as a double music album on studio recording. The plot was written according to the narrator in the Gospels, included in the New Testament, but with modern attire and a variety of new and old music.
To the narrative core that appears in the New Testament was added an original interpretation of the authors and “perfections” of their imagination. Contemporary attitudes, sensibilities and slang pervade the rock opera’s lyrics, and ironic allusions to modern life are scattered throughout the depiction of political events.
The 1973 American musical drama film directed by Norman Jewison and jointly written for the screen by Jewison and Melvyn Bragg.
Jesus Christ Superstar Film Locations in Israel
Filming of Jesus Christ Superstar took place in Israel’s Negev Desert. It’s difficult to distinguish one scene’s location from another as the Negev desert covers more than half of Israel, with many repetitive dunes and beige rocky gorges. However, we managed to find several locations that feature the film’s memorable moments and are worth visiting for yourself.
Avdat National Park
The film opens on the endless Negev desert, textured by scads of dusty hilltops. Perched on one of those hilltops is Avdat. The site features the remains of a Nabataean City that existed in the early centuries of BC and has more appearances in Jesus Christ Superstar than any other filming locations.
Avdat was the most important city on the Incense Route after Petra, between the 1st century BCE and the 7th century CE, and was a seasonal camping ground for Nabataean caravans travelling along the early Petra–Gaza road (Darb es-Sultan) in the 3rd – late 2nd century BCE.
Today, Avdat was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in June 2005 where you can see the remains of that city.
It is important to note that Ein Avdat and Avdat National Parks are two different places, located within a ten-minute drive from each other (near Sde Boker) in the Negev desert. Ein Avdat National Park offers a desert canyon hike along the Zin stream. At Avdat National Park, you can explore the remains of the Nabatean city. And due to the closeness between them, combining both can make a lovely day trip.
Beit Guvrin National Park
Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park is a national park in central Israel, 13 kilometers from Kiryat Gat, encompassing the ruins of Maresha, one of the important towns of Judah during the time of the First Temple, and Beit Guvrin, an important town in the Roman era, when it was known as Eleutheropolis.
Archaeological artifacts unearthed at the site include a large Jewish cemetery, a Roman-Byzantine amphitheater, a Byzantine church, public baths, mosaics and burial caves.
There are about 800 bell-shaped caves located in the park. Many of the caves are linked to each other by an underground network of passageways that connect groups of 40–50 caves. The biggest cave of all was the filming location of the scene of “What’s the Buzz?” and “Everything’s All Right”.
The cave complex attracts travelers from all over the world. Many of the ancient city’s olive presses, columbaria and water cisterns can still be seen, and the Israel Antiquities Authority is conducting excavations of Maresha’s many quarried systems, and invites visitors to participate. Even though its location in the desert, make sure to bring a jacket, as it gets colder inside the caves.
Beit She’an National Park
The ancient Roman amphitheater in Beit She’an National Park served as the stage for ballads “Trial before Pilate” and “Superstar”. Today, the Archaeological National Park attracts tourists that can see the history of Israel through the archaeological remains from each historic period.
On the elevated mound are remains of the Canaanite and Egyptian cities and at the foot of the mound are the extensive remains of a Roman city. The excavation and reconstruction offer a clear picture of what the city would have looked like. This former Roman metropolis was home to 30,000 to 40,000 citizens and covered approximately 370 acres.
Beit She’an is so well-preserved that it feels more like a recently abandoned town rather than centuries-old remains. Visitors to the park can see the ancient wall that surrounded the city, public baths, a Roman temple, stores, artisan workshops and other well-preserved structures. The central Palladius street runs for 24 meters with a number of colonnades. There are rare mosaics and a Roman amphitheater which is still in use today.
Herodium – King Herods Palace-Fortress
South of Jerusalem, on a hill shaped like a truncated cone that rises 758 meter. above sea level, stood Herodium, the palace-fortress built by King Herod. It had a breathtaking view, overlooking the Judean Desert and the mountains of Moab to the east, and the Judean Hills to the west – and it was the filming location of Herod’s Palace in the “Then We Are Decided” scene.
Visiting Herodium on your own takes around 1-2 hours. There are guided tours as well, taking you through the historic palace, bathhouse, synagogue, Mausoleum and tunnels.
Dead Sea (King Herod’s Song)
The Dead Sea is a landlocked salt lake between Israel and Jordan. Its eastern shore is Jordanian, while the southern half of its western shore is Israeli. The Dead Sea is the lowest body of water on Earth, measured in the mid-2010s at about 1,410 ft (430 m) below sea level. The Dead Sea has been associated with biblical history since the time of Abraham, and the remarkable discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls was made near its northwestern shore in the mid-20th century.
See also: Long Hiking Trails in Israel