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Theatre Altenburg Gera Performs Gottfried von Einem's Danton's Tod

Sep. 26, 2022

From September 23-Oct 3, Under the direction of conductor Ruben Gazarian and director Kay Kuntze, Theatre Altenburg Gera performs Gottfried von Einem's Danton's Tod. The libretto was written by Boris Blacher and Gottfried von Einem, based on the drama by Georg Büchner. 

In 1939, at the age of 21, Gottfried von Einem came across the first play written by 22-year-old Georg Büchner – and was overwhelmed. The result of this encounter, Dantons Tod, was the first opera by a living composer to be premiered at the Salzburg Festival (1947). The significance of the work was immediately recognized and soon followed productions in Vienna, Hamburg, Berlin, Hannover, Stuttgart, Paris, Brussels and New York. Translated into six languages, Gottfried von Einem's opera conquered the stages of the world. In contrast to Büchner, the people - the revolution - play one of the main roles and the chorus scenes are among the most effective that Von Einem ever composed. The mass scenes, as well as Danton's justification in front of the Revolution Tribunal, provide a pathos of melodrama in the opera, which is completely foreign to Büchner and which Einem additionally fuels with his striking musical language. The work has maintained its important role in the opera repertoire to this day. Read more about Danton's Tod here.


(Trailer - Theatre Altenburg Gera performs Gottfried von Einem's Danton's Death)

Gottfried von Einem
Danton's Tod (1944/1946)
an opera in two acts 
libretto (Ger) by Boris Blacher and Gottfried von Einem
based on the drama by Georg Büchner
2S, Mz, A, 3T, 2Bar, B, BBuffo
4.2.2.2-4.3.3.1-timp-perc-str
Choir: SATB
90'

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