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The Dutch National Opera Presents a New Production of Alexander Zemlinsky's Der Zwerg

Sep. 01, 2021

A new production of Alexander Zemlinsky's opera, Der Zwerg, featuring musc direction by Lorenzo Viotti and stage direction by Nanouk Leopold, is running from September 4-18 at the Dutch National Opera & Ballet Auditorium. Der Zwerg, Zemlinsky's best-known opera, tells the story of an unattractive but confident and talented little person who is presented as a gift to a Spanish princess. Unaware of the extent of the differences between them, the little man falls in love with the spoiled princess, who teases him with hints of affection, only to dash his hopes for love and destroy his confidence in a cruel fashion. Some of the composer's confidants encouraged him not to write an opera with an "ugly man" protagonist whom they suggested could be the composer's own "Doppelgänger". However, armed with an engaging libretto by the youthful Georg Klaren (a student of the theories of Sigmund Freud and Otto Weininger) based on Oscar Wilde's story, The Birthday of the Infanta, Alexander Zemlinsky persisted, resulting in the creation of a captivating musical drama.


(Alexander Zemlinsky/Der Zwerg/Soile Isokoski/Iride Martinez/Andrew Collis/David Kuebler/Juanita Lascarro/Machiko Obata/Anne Schwanewilms/Natalie Karl/Martina Rüping/Frankfurter Kantorei/
Gürzenich-Orchester Kölner Philharmoniker/James Conlon)

To learn more about Alexander Zemlinsky, visit: universaledition.com.

Alexander Zemlinsky
Der Zwerg (Birthday of the Infanta) (1920-1921)
an opera in one act
libretto (Ger) by Georg Klaren
based on the short story by Oliver Wilde
critical edition by Antony Beaumont
3.3.3.3-4.3.3.1-timp-4perc-vn.I(4), vn.II(3), va(2), vc(2), cb(1)
Roles: Donna Clara, soprano Ghita, soprano Don Estoban, high bass The Dwarf, tenor 3 Maids, 2 sopranos and 1 mezzo-soprano The playmates of the infanta, sopranos and altos Servants (silent roles)
Choir: SA
90'

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