Der Kaiser von Atlantis (1943)

A Victor Ullman’s (1898-1944) chamber opera in one act.
Libretto by Peter Kien (1919-1944)

Production: Kuraia, Basque Country University (UPV/EHU), EITB.

With the sponsorship of EITB, Innobasque 2008 and Euskaltel

Der Kaiser von Atlantis (the Emperor of Atlantis) is the spiritual testament of its composer: a denunciation of Nazism and the horrors of the war and the Holocaust. The opera was composed in the ghetto of Terezin (in the current Czech Republic) during the year 1943. When the Nazi authorities of the ghetto attended the dress rehearsal they banned its representation and deported the composer, librettist, musicians and all relatives in the concentration camp of Auschwitz, in which were executed in 1944.

Opera could not premiere until 1975.

This new production of Der Kaiser von Atlantis has been premiered in Bilbao in 2008.

Schedule:

Year of recording: 2008

Musical direction: Andrea Cazzaniga

Artistic and stage direction: Josu Rekalde

Director de voces corales: Enrike Azurza

Choreography: Jorge Horno

Costumes: Marta Gutiérrez

Scenery and attrezzo: Elias Martinez de Lecea

Video: José Felix Gonzalez

Video animation: Jesús María Mateos.

Production Patxi Azpillaga.

Libretto design: Enara Novillo

Lighting and technical assistance: AUDIOMIC.

Singers:
Overall (Kaiser): Xavier Mendoza Oliva, barítono
Muerte y Altavoz: Ralf Grobe, bass
Soldado y Arlequin: Alberto Núñez Baracaldo, tenor
Tambor: Ana Häsler, mezzosoprano
Bubikopf (soldado mujer): Ana Otxoa, soprano

Orquesta: Ensemble Kuraia