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Re-Contextualizing Viktor Ullmann’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis Within Twentieth-Century German Opera by Mindy Elicia Buckton Bachelor of Arts, Laurentian University, 2010 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTERS IN ARTS in the School of Music Mindy Elicia Buckton, 2013 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without the permission of the author. ii Supervisory Committee Re- Contextualizing Viktor Ullmann’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis Within Twentieth-Century German Opera by Mindy Elicia Buckton Bachelor of Arts, Laurentian University, 2010 Supervisory Committee Dr. Jonathan Goldman, School of Music Supervisor Dr. Michelle Fillion, School of Music Departmental Member Dr. Elena Pnevmonidou, Germanic and Slavic Studies Outside Member iii Abstract Supervisory Committee Dr. Jonathan Goldman, School of Music Supervisor Dr. Michelle Fillion, School of Music Departmental Member Dr. Elena Pnevmonidou, Germanic and Slavic Studies Outside Member Viktor Ullmann’s opera Der Kaiser von Atlantis, composed in the Theresienstadt concentration camp in 1943-44, has received regular performances since its belated first performance in 1975. Research on this opera has largely been restricted to the confines of Theresienstadt, with limited connections made to the outside world. Nevertheless, when Ullmann’s work is viewed within the artistically evolving context of the interwar period – a formative era in Ullmann’s life – new light is shed on his artistic achievements. This era of change between 1919 and 1930 gave rise to new artistic movements such as Neue Sachlichkeit and produced the genres of Zeitoper, Brechtian Epic Theatre,” and Kabarett. Artists of staged works used their artistic freedom to challenge audiences, most obviously with techniques such as Bertolt Brecht’s “Verfremdungseffekt.” In the freedom of the newly established Republics, political commentary and the representation of contemporary life became the source material for libretti. It is within this era that we find the inspiration and source of Ullmann’s representation of Theresienstadt within Der Kaiser von Atlantis. Indeed, examining the opera within the context of the interwar period expands many elements beyond the representation of Theresienstadt. By investigating the inherent symbolisms within the opera to the spirit of the new Republics, we can re-contextualize the modest but growing place Der Kaiser von Atlantis holds in the operatic repertoire. For it is only by combining these two radically contrasting worlds – the freedoms associated with the artistic experiments in liberal democracy typical of the interwar period and the restrictions of detention in Theresienstadt at the hands of the National Socialists – that a robust understanding of the mastery of defiance and irony that is Der Kaiser von Atlantis becomes possible. iv Table of Contents Supervisory Committee ...................................................................................................... ii Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iii Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... v List of Figures .................................................................................................................... vi Acknowledgments............................................................................................................. vii Dedication ........................................................................................................................ viii Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: Viktor Ullmann: Evolution as a Composer and Critic ...................................... 9 Chapter 2: Der Kaiser von Atlantis: Sources, Synopsis, and Instrumentation ................. 22 Source ....................................................................................................................... 22 Peter Kien and the Libretto ....................................................................................... 23 Plot Synopsis ............................................................................................................. 24 The Characters and Their Allegorical Connotations ................................................ 27 Plot Contextualization ............................................................................................... 36 Vocal Scoring and Instrumentation .......................................................................... 46 Chapter 3: Musical Quotation and Allusion in Der Kaiser von Atlantis .......................... 51 Musical Quotations ................................................................................................... 51 Musical Styles ........................................................................................................... 72 Chapter 4: Der Kaiser von Atlantis in the Context of Twentieth-Century German Opera79 Neue Sachlichkeit, Gebrauchsmusik, and Neoclassicism ......................................... 80 Zeitoper and Kabarett ............................................................................................... 87 Bertolt Brecht’s Epic Theater and Verfremdungseffekt ............................................ 93 Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 104 Appendix ......................................................................................................................... 113 Appendix 1: Chronological List of Viktor Ullmann’s first period works, 1918-1929 ................................................................................................................................. 113 Appendix 2: Chronological list of Viktor Ullmann’s middle period works: 1933- 1942......................................................................................................................... 115 Appendix 3: Chronological list of Ullmann’s last (Theresienstadt) period works: September 1942-1944 ............................................................................................. 117 Appendix 4: Letter by Viktor Ullmann addressed to Otto Zucker in March 1943 . 119 Appendix 5: Performance History of Schott’s 1992 Performance Score Edition of Viktor Ullmann’s The Emperor of Atlantis ............................................................ 120 Appendix 6: Map of German Occupied Europe in 1944 ........................................ 126 Appendix 7: Full German and English Text of Ein’ feste Burg ist unser Gott ....... 127 Appendix 8: Bertolt Brecht’s Musical and Operatic Collaborations 1927-1942 .... 128 v List of Tables Table 1: Works premiered by Ullmann at the Aussig Opera 1927/28 .............................. 14 Table 2: Performances critiqued by Ullmann in Theresienstadt ....................................... 19 Table 3: The characters of Der Kaiser von Atlantis and their appearance, voice type and Theresienstadt casting ....................................................................................................... 25 Table 4: European Emperors from the eighteenth century to the end of World War I ..... 29 Table 5: Comparison of Kaiser Overall’s and the Emperor of Austria's titles ................. 41 Table 6: Vocal and Instrumental composition of Der Kaiser von Atlantis....................... 47 Table 7: Vocal and Instrumental Composition of Dreigroschenoper .............................. 49 Table 8: Text of the National Anthems Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser and Deutschland über alles ........................................................................................................................... 52 Table 9: Text of scene one duet "Tage, Tage” .................................................................. 88 Table 10: Bertolt Brecht’s comparison of core elements of dramatic and Epic Theatre .. 95 Table 11: Brecht's comparison of music in Dramatic and Epic Opera ............................ 97 vi List of Figures Figure 1: Characters and their Corresponding Musical Motives in the Prologue to Der Kaiser von Atlantis ............................................................................................................ 38 Figure 2: Members of Ghetto Swingers 1943-1944 ......................................................... 48 Figure 3: The Music of Haydn’s “Kaiserhymne” ............................................................. 52 Figure 4: Ullmann and Kien's "Arie des Trommlers" mm. 7- 22 Vocal Line .................. 55 Figure 5: Martin Luther Ein’ feste Burg ist unser Gott text and four part chorale ........... 58 Figure 6: Musical Quotation and Text of the Finale “Komm Tod, du unser werter Gast” ........................................................................................................................................... 61 Figure 7: Accompaniment of "Komm Tod, du unser werter Gast" m. 1-7. ...................... 62 Figure 8: Full score Instrumentation of the last 5 measures of “Komm Tod du werter Gest” and the conclusion to Der Kaiser von Atlantis ......................................................