KURT WEILL NEWSLETTER Volume 11, Number 1 Spring 1993

IN THI S ISSUE

I ssues IN THE GERMAN R ECEPTION OF W EILL 7 Stephen Hinton

S PECIAL FEATURE: PROTAGON IST AND Z AR AT SANTA F E 10 Director's Notes by Jonathan Eaton Costume Designs by Robert Perdziola "Der Protagonist: To Be or Not to Be with Der Zar" by Gunther Diehl

B OOKS 16 The New Grove Dictionary of Opera Andrew Porter Michael Kater's Different Drummers: Jazz in the Culture of Nazi Germany Susan C. Cook Jilrgen Schebera's Gustav Brecher und die Leipziger Oper 1923-1933 Christopher Hailey

PERFORMANCES 19 Britten/Weill Festival in Aldeburgh Patrick O'Connor Seven Deadly Sins at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Paul Young Mahagonny in Karlsruhe Andreas Hauff Knickerbocker Holiday in Evanston. IL bntce d. mcclimg "Nanna's Lied" by the San Francisco Ballet Paul Moor Seven Deadly Sins at the Utah Symphony Bryce Rytting

R ECORDINGS 24 Symphonies nos. 1 & 2 on Philips James M. Keller Ofrahs Lieder and other songs on Koch David Hamilton Sieben Stucke aus dem Dreigroschenoper, arr. by Stefan Frenkel on Gallo Pascal Huynh

C OLUMNS Letters to the Editor 5 Around the World: A New Beginning in Dessau 6 1993 Grant Awards 4 Above: Georg Kaiser looks down at Weill posing for his picture on the 1928 Leipzig New Publications 15 Opera set for Der Zar /iisst sich pltotographieren, surrounded by the two Angeles: Selected Performances 27 Ilse Koegel 0efl) and Maria Janowska (right). Below: The Czar and His Attendants, costume design for t.he Santa Fe Opera by Robert Perdziola.

I ' PROTAGONIST ZAR SANTA FE I •T• •T• NEWS

on Kaiser; Stephen Hinton on Der Protago­ HBrecht, Weill, Berlin" at the New Santa Fe becomes Weill Mecca nist as a critique of Expressionism; David York Philharmonic Drew on Der Zar's multiple musical lan­ guages; and Jonathan Eaton on his directo­ As part of a new series of "celebration Santa Fe. New Mexico will become a rial conceptions for the current produc­ weeks" instituted by tbe New York Philhar­ focus for Weill fans this summer when the tions. The symposium is open to the public monic for its 1993-94 season, Maestro Kurt Santa Fe Opera and the Santa Fe Chamber and will be held at the Buena Vista Art Masur will conduct Weill's Die sieben Music Festival present seldom-periormed Center at the Witter Bynner House in Santa Todsunden and Berg's Lulu Suite on 15-18 stage and concert repertoire as part of the Fe. A reception for the press will follow. December 1993 at Lincoln Center's Avery 1993 season. On Saturday, 31July 1993, the Fisher Hall in New York. Soprano Angelina opera company launches the American pro­ Reaux will make herdebutwith the Philhar­ fessional premiereofWeill's double bill The Lost in the Stars: Stage monic singing the role of Anna L Reaux, Protagonist and The Czar Has His Photo­ Adaptation, Concert Version and well-known to Weill fans in the States and graph Taken. The productions, designed by Full-Length Recording abroad through her recordings, recitals, Robert Perdziola. will be directed by and one-woman show, will also present a Jonathan Eaton and conducted by George solo concert at a New York venue to be Manahan. Principal cast members include In a production opening on June 18 for a six-week run, the Goodman Theatre in Chi­ announced. A program of lectures will Jacque Trussel ('The Protagonist), Ashley supplement the musical offerings, all under cago will present a new adaptation by Frank Putnam (His Sister Catherine), and Patryk the title, "Brecht, Weill, Berlin 1928-35." Wroblewski (The Young Lord); and David Gelati ofAlan Paton's novel, Cry the Beloved Malis (The Czar), Kathryn Gamberoni Country. Gelati, best known for his much praised adaptation of The Grapes ofWrath , KURT WEILL NEWSLETTER (Angele), and Angelina Reaux (the False 1 Angele). The double bill will be presented plans to utilize most of Wei11 s and Vol. 11, No. 1; Spring 1993 in English translations of Jonathan Eaton Anderson's score for Lost in the Stars. and Lionel Salter. Other performance dates Another"Cry, the Beloved Country," this 0 1993 Kurt Weill Foundation for Music are 4 and 13 August, as the double bill will one the concert suite devised by David 7 East 20th Street run in repertory with La boheme, The Magic Drew of music from Lost in the Stars, will be New York, NY 10003-1106 Flute, Xerxes, and Capriccio. conducted by Robert Ziegler at a Prom­ Tel. (212) 505-5240 For its 21st Season, the Santa Fe Cham­ enade concert in London's Royal Albert Fax (212) 353-.9663 ber Music Festival presents Weill works oo Hall on 25 August 1993. The soloists are three ofits summer programs in five perlor­ Damon Evans, Cynthia Clarey, and Jake mances. On Sunday, 1 August, and Mon­ Gardner performing with the London The Newsletter is published to provide an open day, 2 August, Lisa Saffer will be the so­ Adventist Chorale (40 voices), the BBC forum wherein interested readers may express a variety of ideas and opfnions. The opinions ex­ prano soloist in a performance ofFrauentanz, Singers (24 voices), and the Matrix En­ pressed donot necessarily represent the publisher's op. 10; her collaborators will be Tara semble, which will be making its Proms debut. All Proms concerts are broadcast official viewpoint. The editor encourages the O'Connor, flute, Paul Neubauer, viola, submission of articles, reviews, and news items for Franklin Cohen. clarinet, Steve Becknell, live on BBC Radio 3. 'The Promenade Concertsare uniquein theatmosphere they future issues. The submission deadline for the next horn, and Lynette Diers Cohen, bassoon. issue is 1 August 1993. The program also includes Mozart's Quin­ generate, compounded ofyo uthful enthusi­ tet in E-flat major, K. 452, for piano and asm, well-worn badinage during the inter­ vals between items in tbe program and a David Fameth, Editor winds, and Dvorak's Piano Quintet in A Mario R. Merudo, Associate Editor major, op. 81. These concerts, at 5 pm and silent concentration duringthe music." (The New Grove Dictionary ofM-usic). Edward D. Harsh, l'roductlon Editor 7 pm, respectively, begin with a pr~oncert Edward Buckley, /lroductlon Assistant lecture on the music ofWeill. The first full-length recording of Lost in On Friday, 6 August. the Orion String the Stars has just appeared on the MusicMasters label (01612-67100.2). Mae­ Board of Trustees Quartet performs Weill's String Quartet, Kim Kowalke, President op. 8. Also on theconcert are the Beethoven stro Julius Rudel conducts the Orchestra of Henry Marx, Vice-President Serenade in D major, op. 25, for flute, violin, St. Luke's, the Concert Chorale of New York, and a cast camprised of Gregory Lys Symonette, V,ce-President and viola, and Faure's Piano Quartet in G Guy Stem, Secetary minor, op. 45. The 22 and 23 August con­ Hopkins (the Leader), Arthur Woodley (Stephen Kumalo), Cynthia Clarey (Irina), Milton Coleman, Treasurer certs devote part of the program to Weill's Philip Getter Carol Woods (Linda), Reginald Pindel (vari­ songs, the soloistfor which will be soprano Harold Prince ous roles), and Richard Vogt (various roles). Phyllis Bryn-Julson, accompanied by pia­ Julius Rudel nist Ursula Oppens. The program begins Producer John McClure has recorded 72 with Two Rhapsodies for oboe, viola, and minutes of music, including selections not Foundation Staff piano byLoefflerand includesTchaikovsky's on the original cast recording: Introduction String Sextet in D major, op. 70. "Souvenir to "The Little Gray House," Entr'acte, 'The Kim Kowalke, Presidenl de Florence." Wild Justice," 'The Wild Justice Reprise," David Fameth, Director and Archivist andone"cut"number, 'The Little Tin God." Lys Symonette, Musical Executive On Saturday afternoon, 31 July 1993, the ("Gold!," the most famous "cut" number Mario R. Mercado, Director of Programs Kurt Weill Foundation will host a mini­ from the show, is not included.) 111e ac­ Edward D. Harsh, Associate Director for symposium devoted to the Santa Fe Opera companying bookletfeatures program notes Publica rions double bill. Kim Kowalke will chair a panel and synopsis by David Kilroy as well as the John Andrus, Associate Archivist comprising Michael Morley, who will speak song lyrics. Edward Buckley, Secretary/Office Manager

Kurt Weill Newsletter Volume 11 Number 1 2 NEWS

Knickerbocker Holiday at the Barbican A Kurt Weill Edition Update Knickerbocker Holiday will be the last of five works performed in concert as part of The planning of the Kurt Weill Edition, a InJanuary ofthisyear, the Editorial Board the 1993 "Discover the Lost Musicals" se­ collected critical edition of Weill's music to - David Drew, Stephen Hinton, Kim ries at the Barbican Centre in London. The be published by European American Mu­ Kowalke, and Giselher Schubert - met for popular series, produced by Ian Marshall sic, has proceeded with the establishment thefirst timeto consider matters ofed itorial Fisher and now entering its fifth year, aims of a distinguished international Advisory policy. A critical edition of Weill's work to "celebrate fine twentieth-century musi­ Board and the convening of the Edition's must necessarily confront an unusual array cal theater writers." It focuses on works Editorial Board. of problematic issues that result from the that did not have a long opening run and In October of last year, the Kurt Weill tremendous diversity of style within bis have been unjustly neglected since. Edition issued invitations to a number of output. Guidelines for editorial practice prominent individuals in a variety of musi­ presuming to encompass the range of sucb The Weill-Anderson musical will be pre­ calfields. The response to these invitations an oeuvre must exhibit a great degree of sented on consecutive Sundays at 4:30 pm, was overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Many flexibility while prescribing certain rigor­ beginning 26 September and continuing observed that the Edition represented a ous criteria At this first meeting, the Board through 17October. Othermusicalssched­ project of great significance not only for madesignificant progress towards defining uled for the 1993 season, which opens on 9 Weill's legacy but for musical theater in this rigorand flexibility. A second meeting, May, are Du Barry was a Lady (Porter, general. planned for July of this year, will be devoted Fields, B. DeSylva, 1939), Allegro (Rodgers A number of disciplines are represented to establishing a complete set of editorial and Hammerstein, 1947), Mr~ic r'.n the Air in the membership of the Advisory Board. guidelines to be used by all volume editors. (Kem and Hammerstein, 1932), and Carni­ Members offer expertise in conducting, The Weill Edition enjoyed a remarkable val (Merrill and Stewart, 1961). composition, musicology, and publishing; amount ofattention from the media in Janu­ they include: ary and February. Subsequent to Allan Assault on the Arts Exhibition at Maurice Abravanel Den.nis Marks Kozinn's extended piece in The New York the New York Public Library Robert Bailey Kurt Masur Times (5 January 1993), a number of Ger­ Stephen Banfield John Mauceri mannewspapers ran reportsof the Edition's The New York Public Library, Fifth Ave Luciano Berlo bruce mcdung inception. One article in the Berliner Zeitung Leon Botstein John McGlinn at 42nd St., has mounted the exhibition, Reinbold Brinkmann Donald Mitchell by Rainer Pollman articulated most clearly "Assault on theArts: Cultureand Politics in Regina Busch Robert Morgan the pressing need for authoritative texts to Nazi Germany," scheduled to run 27 Febru­ Theodore Chapin Andrew Porter W eill's music. The author wrote, "adapters Hennann Danuser Harold Prince could, until now, talk their way out of re­ ary • 28 May 1993. The exhibition is orga­ Gabriel Dotto Steve Reich nized in three sections: Literature and Ide­ Sian Edwards Joshua Rifkin sponsibility for their actions by pointing out ology, Fine Arts, and Performing Arts: Film Yves Gerard Alexander Ringer the terrible status ofextant editions.... Now and Music. Three related exhibitions are Bryan Gilliam Julius Rudel all this is aboutto change." The Edition also Alexander Goehr Harold Samuel received television coverage in the form of running simultaneously at the Library and Berthold Goldschmidt Jurgen Schebcra Museum of the Perforning Arts at Lincoln Philip Gossen Gunther Schuller a report produced by the Cable News Net­ Center: 1) lt Can't Happen Here: Anti­ Gary Graffman Wayne Shirley work and aired internationally . David Hamilton Marrus Stenz Fascist Performance in New York, 2) The Charles Hamm Teresa Stratas Currently, the KWE is engaged in Gift to be Free: Refugees from Nazism in H. Wiley Hitchcock Lys Symonettc fundraising to support the vast array of the American Performing Arts, and 3) Jn James Holmes Michael Tilson projects and activities which it will com­ Ian Kemp Thomas Perilous Times: Dancers of Germany and David Kilroy Richard Toeman prise. Austria, 1930-1945. Related events include Niels Krabbe Maury Yeston educational programs, public symposia, James Levine James Zychowicz Christoph-HeUmut concerts, lectures, and film showings. For Mahling more information, call (212) 930-0679.

Editions Plume Publishes French The book can be ordered directly from composer, and arts educator Billy Taylor Translation of Weill's Writings Editions Plume, 51 rue de Turenne, 75003 appeared with the Utah Symphony to per­ Paris, France; tel. (1) 40-29-96-09 or fax. (1) form his jazz Suite for Piano and Orchestra, EditionsPlume (Paris) publishedinJanu­ 40-29-96-11. commissioned by Maurice Abravanel. In ary 1993 Kurt Weill: de Berlin a Broadway, addition to these musical tributes, civic and collected and translated by Pascal Huynh. cultural leaders and friends from around The publication represents the first, exten­ the world met on 5 January at the Sym­ Maurice Abravanel Celebrates sive collection ofWeill's writings in French phony Hall to bonor Maurice Abravanel translation. The handsome 333-page book 90th Birthday with a gala birthday-eve dinner. The borne is divided into two principal sections: "la of the Utah Symphony has been renamed Fievre deWiemar" and "EX11 etreconquet e," Abravanel Hall. and includes over 60 ofWeill's essays, as The Utah Symphony celebrated Maurice well as contemporaneous reviews and inter­ Abravanel's ninetietl1 birthday on 14, 15, 16 Abravanel, the music director laureate of views documenting Weill's reception dur­ January. with J oseph Silverstein conduct­ U1e Utah Symphony, conducted or pre­ ing the 1930s in France. ing concerts of music associated with miered many of Weill's stage and concert Some of the research for the book was Abravanel, including Milhaud's La Creation works in Europe and on Broadway. He was undertaken by Dr. Huynh with a grant from du monde and Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins. the recipient in 1990 of the first Kurt Weill the Kurt Weill Foundation. On 19January, the renowned jazz musician, Distinguished Achievement Award.

Kurt Weill Newsletter Volume 11 Number 1 3 NEWS Announcing the Publication of

A Stranger Here Myself: Street Scene Bows at Munich and London Kurt Weill Studien

On Wednesday, 30 June 1993, the Staatstheater am Gartnerplatz will premiere its new production of Street n collectio11 of essnys based on prese11tntions made at the Kurt Weill Sympo· Scene. Presented in the Gennan translation ofLys Symonette, sii11n, Nordrliein/Westfalen K11rt-Weill-Festival i11 Mnrch of 1990 Street Scene will be directed by Frank Arnold and conducted by Herbert Mogg. Gerd Rohde is the set designer, and costumes are by Susanne Dieringer. In the principal roles edited jointly by Kim H. Kowalke (of the Kurt Weill Foundation for Musk, New York) are Riccardo Lombardi (Frank Maurrant), Andrea Catzel and Horst Edler (of the Salomon Ludwig Steinheim-Jnstitut fi.ir deutsch-jiidische (Anna Maurrant), KatherinaMiiller (Rose Maurrant), Volker Geschichte, Duisburg Germany) Bengl (Sam Kaplan), Erich Hallhuber (Harry Easter) , and CONTENTS Gisela Ehrensperger (EmmaJones). Other summer perfor­ mances include 4, 12, 15July. Street Scene runs in repertory I. Deutscher und Amerikaner: "The Two We ills" throughout the 1993-94 season at the Gartnerplatz. Fmgioiirdiges iJ1 der dt'11/sc/1e11 Rez,·plio11 Stephen Hinton The English National Opera will mount its popular pro­ Formerly Ger111a11: K11rl Weill i11 A111eriC11 Kim H. Kowalke duction ofStreet Scene aspartofits 1993-94 season. Nicolette Molnar will direct the David Poutney staging that opens on ""Fremd bi11 ich ei11gewge11 ··: A11111erk1111ge11 w ei11er getei/ter, Biogrnphie Jc,achim LucchL-si Friday, 27 August 1993. James Holmes is the conductor. Street Scene is in repertory with additional perfonnances II. Weill in Deutschland scheduled for 2, 3, 9, 11, 16, 23, and 28 September. Der lilernrisc/1-k11//11rel/e Horizon/ des j1111ge11 Wei/ls: Ei11e Analyse seiner 1mgedriickfen friil1en Briefe Guy Stern Von der provi11z i11 die Stadt: Die friihe 11111sikalisdie A11sbild1111g K11rf Wei/ls Tamara Levitz

1993 Grants Awarded Der Jasager: Wei/I's COIII/IOSifio11 U'SSOII Ian Kemp The Biirgschaft Debate a11d ll1e Timeli11ess of tl1e U11ti111ely David Drew Ele111e11fe ro111a11fischer Tradition im M11siktheater Kurt Wei/ls- iiberleg1111ge11 wr Nebe/su11e der Biirgschaft Andreas Hauff In December 1992, the Board of Trustees of the Kurt M11sica/ LJlllg11nge n11d Formal Desig11 Weill Foundation for Music, Inc. approved the recommen­ i11 111£' Sy111p/1onies of K11rl Weill Robert Bailey dations of the Independent Grants Advisory Panel to award the grants listed below: Ill. Weill in America ''I Ca11nof/Will Nol Si11g the Old So11gs Now: Some ObsertMfions 011 Wei/l"s Adaptat io11 Research of Pop11/ar So11g Forms Mkhael Morley David Kilroy, Cambridge, MA Research and travel grant Psicosi per musica: Re-exa111ini11g Lady in the Dark bruce mcclung to examine the Maxwell Anderson diaries and documents at Der '"alien American" K11rt Weill 1111d seine Akthiitiiteu the University of Texas, the State Historical Society of fiirden War Efforlder USA 1940- 1945 Jurgen Schebera Madison, WI, and the University of North Dakota for vari­ The E11ig111n of Kurt Wei/I's Wl1itma11 Songs JurgenThym ous monograph projects. Propaganda der Trauer: Kurt Wrills Wl1it111an Songs Werner Gri.inzweig James L. Zychowicz. Research and travel grant to study the source materials relevant to Ulysses Africanus at the Appendix University of Texas, Yale University, and the Kurt Weill A Kurt Weill Bibliography David Farneth Foundation for a documentary study of the work and its relation to Lost in the Stars. Kurt Weill, 1900-1950 Hans F. Redlich

Performance This volume is to be published by theGeorg Olms Ver lag and available in the summer of 1993. Individuals may order directly from Olms via check or inte rnational money Boston Musica Viva. Boston, MA Performance and order. The price will be approximately OM 40 (also payable in the US dollar recording of songs, duets, and instrumental selections from equivalent). Write to: American and European stage works. Georg Olms Verlag Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH. Kleine Hagentorwall 6-7- Dreigroschenmusik, Mahagonny Songspiel, selections from D-3200 Hildesheim American stage works. GERMANY The Philharmonia Orchestra, London. Concert perfor­ Phone - 0 51 21 / 150 10 mances of Knickerbocker Holiday. Fax - 0 51 21 / 150 150 The Santa Fe Opera, Santa Fe, NM. Double bill of Der the publisher's agent in the USA: Protagonist and Der Zar liisst sich photographieren. 111 West 57th Street New York, NY 10019 Utah Symphony, Salt Lake City, UT. The Seven Deadly (212) 757-5237 Sins.

Kurt Weill Newsletter Volume 11 Number 1 4 LEToTERS

To The Editor: done such perfunctory commentary on with his stature. 1 would suggest that Weill. And Hailey joins in by dismissing lngham's fine performances and record­ most of the works of Krenek's last 40 years ings speak more effectively for Krenek's I was fascinated by Christopher Hailey·s as "singularly unappetizing." Is this musi­ cause than partisan polemics. review in vol. 10. no. 2 of John Stewart's cal scholarship? Ernst Krenek: 771.e Man and his Music. He demonstratesadeepknowledge andasharp erudition in his own outline of Krenek's life, Michael Ingham Santa Barbara personality, and accomplishment, and is To The Editor: certainly correct in criticizing Stewart for not having fully utilized the archival sources available to him, emasculating his portrait Having just recently read Ronald Taylor's by providing almost no context for it. Miss­ Kurt Weill: Composer in a Divided World, I ing, for example, are Krenek's complex Christopher Hailey replies: feel compelled to respond to Stephen relationships with Webern. Schoenberg, Hin ton's hypercritical review of this work in Stravinsky. Rilke, Kraus, and many others. the Fall issue of the Newsletter. But a far greater tragedy is his virtual omis­ Michael Ingham takes offense that I find sion of his greatest source, Krenek himself, numerous of Krenek's works "unappetiz­ As opposed to Mr. Hinton, who is obvi­ who provided dozens of hours of taped ing." My observation was a purely subjec­ ously a Weill scholar, I am merely a Weill interviews on any subject Stewart desired tive judgment. Beethoven's Grosse Fuge is music Jover of long standing. This is the to talk about. Krenek was chagrined that he a work Ilikewisefind "unappetizing," though first full length biography of Kurt Weill that had gone to so much trouble for Stewart here I am persuaded of the necessity of its I have read, and I must say that I will be who hardly utilized this vast treasure of refractory surface qualities. I am not always forever grateful to the author for providing useful and interesting information. Now convinced that Krenek's consummate crafts­ this masterful word picture of the man and that Krenek is dead, no one else will have manship is accompanied by a correspond­ his times. this opportunity so thoroughly and use­ ing expressive urgency. That said. I gladly Although Taylor may dwell on the di­ lessly consumed by Stewart. grant that my misgivings may well say more chotomy thesis more than Mr. Hinton would Hailey's list of "mistakes" is too short by about my own intellectual or aesthetic limi­ prefer. he leaves his reader with no doubt as far, and probably deserves some carping, tations than about the quality of Krenek's to the uniqueness and originality of the but the primary failure of the book does not music. My point was not to imply an artistic composer's music whether it was being lie in its errors or omissions. And here lies failure on Krenek's part, but to attribute my wri tten in Berlin, Paris, or New York. But, my essential clisagreementwith both Hailey discomfiture with much of his work to his far more important, Ronald Taylor gives us and Stewa1i. I am a strong partisan of ambivalent response to that ever widening a very human and always empathetic por­ Krenek and his music, yet r hope that that rupture between composers and their audi­ trait ofthe composer against the background position does not blind me to the value of ence that so preoccupied his generation, of world events of the fabulous first half of negative assessments of Krenek. arrived at which of course included Hindemith and the century. And all of the accounts of Kurt through thorough analysis and study. It is Weill. Each of these composers framed the Weill'srelationshipswith hisfamily,friends, not the fiercely condemning views of both dilemma differently: each found different and, especially, with his wife, Lenya, and Hailey and Stewart which r find disturbing. responses. It is perhaps because Krenek's with Brecht. his foremost European col­ Is, however, Stewart's dismissal of work work is so insistently enmeshed in the aes­ laborator, always presented tastefully and after work in his book legitimate in and of thetic quandaries of content and communi­ with a kindness and understanding, all go to itself (or, for that matter, his praise)? Don't cation that I find it so problematic; it is at any make fascinating reading for any Kurt Weill we deserve to know the process of analysis rate one of the reasons I continue to try to fan. or study which evolved these "assess­ come to grips with his scores no matter how ments?" May we not also dismiss as curso­ ''unappetizing~ I may find this work or that. Joseph D. Teller rily Stewart's own unsupported opinions? Jupiter, Florida And, ifso, why, readers at US Press. was the I slated that the ''shape and content" of book even published? Krenek's legacy had been established by 1950 not in order to dismiss his later works, Hailey also succumbs to name-calling in dismissing as more or less worthless 40 but because I believe that Krenek had by that time formulated those aesthetic con­ Composer of the Week on BBC years of creative activity without so much as Radio 3 a subordinate clause explaining why. Are cerns which are productive in his work. we to believe thatAufm1d Ablehmmg, Five­ One could say the same of Schoenberg and fold E11foldme11t, Sardakai, DerGoldene Bock, Stravinskyatfifty.althoughMosesandAaron and The Rake's Progress, the String Trio and Opus Sine Nomi11e and so on are "lesser Kurt Weill was "Composer of the Week" works'' because Hailey has announced that Threni were yet lo come; to have formu­ on BBC Radio 3. 22-26 March 1993 . .. Kurt lated the problem in no way implies that tl1e they are: or that 'n1e Dissembler contains range of solutions has been exhausted. Weill in the 20s." hosted by Donald Macleod, "little musical interest perse" because John featured a wide variety of recently,issued Stewart says so? Not only is Stewart's book Michael Ingham should learn to differen­ an aU-out attack on Krenek, but it fails even tiate between critical opinion (whatever its recordings and historical reissues. many of to use scholarship as a weapon in this attack ''scholarly" credentials) and "fierce condem­ them originally made in the United King­ and relies instead on churlish epithets de­ nation." 1 count myself among Krenek's dom. "Composer of the Week" is a regular void of a demonstrated process of thought admirers and have on more than one occa­ I am sure that devotees of the musical sion in these pages and elsewhere urged feature of Radio 3 programming and is broad­ personality of Kurt Weill would not con- that he receive attention commensurate cast Monday-Friday from 9:00-10:00 AM.

Kurt Weill Newsletter Volume 11 Number 1 5 AROUND THE WORLD

In honor of the festival, the city commis­ sioned three new compositions. The Archeopteryx Duo from Saarbrticken gave A New Beginning in Dessau successful premieres of works by Regina Wenzel (Halle), Anette Schltinz (Dessau), and Aseon Han (South Korea). The cultural by Jurgen Schebera office anticipates making commissions of new compositions a regular component of future Weill festivals. Additionally, there were screenings of G.W. Pabst's film version of Die Despite the precarious state of funding Dessau Generalmusikdirektor Daniel Dreigroschenoper, and two special exhibi­ for cultural activity in the former German Lipton realized a musically inspired perfor­ tions (including the one by the Dumont Democratic Republic, the Kulturamt of the mance. Weill's ballet was coupled with a Lindemann TheaterArchive that was shown city of Dessau, in collaboration with the choreographic paraphrase of Wassily in Dtisseldorf in 1990). The renowned Landestheater Dessau, proceeded boldly Kandinsky's Der gelbe Klang, set to music Leipzig Aulos-Trio presented an evening of with preparations for "Kurt-Weill-Fest: Au/takt by Roland Pfrengle. This pairing stands chambermusic, including works by Busoni, '93,"which took place 2-6 March 1993. squarely in the Dessau Bauhaus tradition. Weill (Sonata for Cello and Piano), Wolpe, and Goldmann. Finally, late at night, the Presented within the span of five days In 1928, Weill's one-act opera Der Zar liisst Dessauer Brass Collegium offered adapta­ were ten programs, ranging from staged sick photographieren was matched with a tions of some Weill pieces in the club of the theatrical presentations to programs of a choreographed version ofMussorgsky'sPic­ Bauhaus. more modest scale. Such concentrated tures at an Exhibition, for which Kandinsky activity is remarkable considering that had provided the staging and mise-en-scette. Dessau's mayor opened the Au/takt per­ Dessau is a smallish city of about 90,000 Perhaps the most artistically satisfying sonally and set forth in the festival's pro­ inhabitants and that, with only a few spo­ events of the festival were the two evenings gram book his conviction that "Dessau will radic performances ofWeill's work over the of performances by the Kurzweil Ensemble find a pemianent place in the cultivation of last twenty years, the composer is hardly of Cologne, which attracted such attention Kurt Weill." There is talk now of establish­ known in his native locale. Sad but true. at the 1990 Weill celebrations in Nordrhein­ ing a Kurt Weill Study Center io one of the former Bauhaus Meisterhiiuser. Here, the That said, the public received this initial Westfalen. The extremely talented soprano interested public would have access to the festival with great enthusiasm. The city's Stefanie Wiist (accompanied by pianistTho­ most important literature, musical record­ inhabitants not only accepted their native mas Wise and violinist Albert Runde)) of­ ings, and study materials on the composer son, but flocked to the theater, the Bauhaus fered two evenings ofsongs by Weill marked available in Germany. stage, and the concert hall. Almost all the by a truly inspired vocal style and carefully performances were sold out, some having perfected expression. Especially convinc­ to be repeated spontaneously to accommo­ ing was herinterpretation ofthe early Lieder, date the overflow crowds. Such a dramatic which are completely un.known in these Translated by Lys Symonette response bodes well for similar activities parts. Ofrah ~ Lieder, in particu­ already in the planning stages for 1994. lar, was bewitchingly beautiful. Otherhigh points werethe Rilke As for the performances themselves, I Lieder and the Walt Whitman must in the first place mention the presen­ Songs. tation at the Musikschule Dessau of Der jasager, directed by Stefan Bltiher of the The actors, musicians, and Komische Oper in Berlin. An ensemble singers of the Landestheater de­ consisting entirely of students (orchestra. veloped a special presentation chorus, and soloists) and conducted by for the festival entitled Ick sitz in faculty member Jochen Lehmann devoted Dessau und esse Klops -Au/den itself to several weeks of rehearsals. Weill Spuren von Kurt Weill in Dessau himself would certainly have been pleased [I sit here in Dessau and eat with the commitment and energy that these meatballs - on the tracks of young people of 1993 put into their tasks. Kurt Weill in Dessau). This revue incorporated music writ­ The solid performances by chorus and solo­ ists more than compensated for the occa­ ten by Albert Weill (Kurt's fa­ sional problems in the orchestra. ther), including two movements of his Synagogengesiinge, in an The Landestheater contributed a staging evening-long reflection on the of Die sieben Todsunden by the well-known decades-long absence of Weill's choreographer Arila Siegert. who revived music.from hjsoativecity. Meet­ her 1988 Dresden production (see this ing with great interest on the Newsletter 6, no. l) for the Dessau stage. partoftheDessauers, thisstimu­ Once more, the talented young soprano lating presentation had to be Anette Jahn sang Anna I, and the new repeated twice.

Kurt Weill Newsletter Volume 11 Number 1 6