Rihm: New work for soprano and orchestra

Karlsruhe

Eine Strasse, Lucile “a scene for soprano and orchestra” (after Georg Büchner’s "Dantons Tod”) is a further monodrama in Wolfgang Rihm’s oeuvre in which the fate of a woman is portrayed. In this work it is Lucile, who plays an important role as Camille Desmoulins’ wife in Büchner’s drama. The world première takes place on 9 July in Karlsruhe, hand in hand with a scenic production of Gottfried von Einem’s Dantons Tod (directed by Alexander Schulin).

In 1939, at the age of 21, Gottfried von Einem came across the first play written by Georg Büchner (the work of a 22-year-old) – 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). Unlike in Büchner’s play, the people – the revolution – play one of the leading roles and the chorus scenes are among the most effective that were composed by von Einem in his basically tonal score. The work has maintained its important role in the opera repertoire to this day.

Jochen Hochstenbach conducts the Badische Staatskapelle at the Opera House in Rihm’s home town, Karlsruhe.