Setting it up 100 years later is very interesting and challenging, says the German conductor Karl-Heinz Steffens, chief conductor of the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra.
The opera by Marc Blitzstein was recently discovered in the Bauhaus archives in connection with research on the music life of the famous school. When it was written in 1929, it was modernist - the main characters are, for example, geometric shapes. But the Nazis saw Bauhaus as driven by Jews, left-wing people and socialists.
They fought against Bauhaus, which was characterized by young people, diversity and equality. Fascists do not want that, they do not want free people in art. It is the same today, says Karl-Heinz Steffens.
Same sentiments
The opera is about a happily married couple living in the best of worlds, when evil forces begin to whisper in the man's ear and make him suspect his wife. Karl-Heinz Steffens sees clear parallels to today's society - it's about how social sentiments can shape people's choices and loyalties.
He compares it to influences in social media.
Now everyone can say anything about you without consequences. The negative influence through social media is so strong, he says, and adds that right-wing extremists and fascists are once again deliberately targeting universities, media, and art.
We have a right-wing party that attacks Bauhaus even today. The right-wing extremists do not change, despite the fact that 100 years have passed.
"A treasure"
The style is neoclassical and Karl-Heinz Steffens compares the music to Stravinsky and Prokofiev. He emphasizes that the orchestra must invent its own way of playing the opera, which has never been performed. This means more challenges.
We have seven soloists and no one can get sick, because no one can replace them.
His goal is to put the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra on the international map. But the economic situation for the orchestra is still shaky, with increased costs and reduced grants. The politicians do not seem interested, Steffens means.
It is a fantastic orchestra in a fairly small town, you have to fight for it. It does not help if you constantly cut the budget so that the orchestra loses its backbone. I hope Sweden realizes what a treasure they have in this orchestra.
Facts: "Parabola and circula"
TT
The opera "Parabola and Circula" was written by the American composer Marc Blitzstein in 1929-1930 after a libretto by George Whitsett. It was to be premiered at the Dessau Theater, but was stopped by the Nazis. The opera contains musical ideas that are believed to have inspired parts of "West Side Story".
The world premiere in concert form will be held at the Philharmonie Berlin during the Musikfest Berlin on September 21. The premiere in Sweden will take place in Norrköping on September 25.
Bauhaus was a school for arts and crafts, design and architecture in Germany in 1919-1933.
The political rule (The Moderate Party, The Liberals and The Christian Democrats with the support of The Sweden Democrats) was criticized in the fall of 2023 for cultural slaughter after they wanted to sell the municipally owned home scene for the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra.
