When you hear this music, you cannot help but ask yourself: Why are Richard Strauss’ operas played all the time, but Alexander Zemlinsky’s operas so seldom? There’s a rocky story of rediscovery for almost every one of his works, and it’s fabulously good music. “A Florentine Tragedy” lasts an hour (another advantage over Strauss), has such densely woven, onomatopoeic-theatrical music with exuberant motifs that it would easily last two hours if you thought of it more horizontally. And the story behind it comes from Oscar Wilde, so the insidious ambivalence of the text already puts you on a highly exciting level.
Anyone who, in view of the discussions of the past few weeks, asked themselves the stupid question of why we need the orchestras of the radio stations, is referred to this evening in the Prinzregententheater. In the first part, the Munich Radio Orchestra, Sylvia Schreiber from BR, two of the three soloists and conductor Patrick Hahn present the work, explain its construction and how to use it – this is a highly entertaining educational excursion. After the break, then the concert performance – that is musical experience as pure joy.
Sometimes the “tragedy” sounds like “Rosenkavalier” without the Viennese coloring, so it’s more objective. A love drama in concentration. To put it succinctly, the rich draper Simone surprises his wife Bianca during an infidelity with Prince Guido, a duel ensues – composed of music and gestures – the prince is then dead and the couple rediscover each other in love. The wonderful Christopher Maltmann sings the big part of Simone, virile, crisp, incredibly understandable text, the lyrically gifted Benjamin Bruns and the super present Rachael Wilson take care of the rest of the drama. This takes place with speed, with tonal opulence and many great ideas by Zemlinsky. Wonderful.