The music in "Theatre of the World" is wide-ranging, incorporating Baroque references, allusions to a Dutch children's song, the Nazi National Anthem, jazz, swing, and 20th-century modernism.
Historical Context
The central figure of the opera is Athanasius Kircher, a German Jesuit scholar from 1601-1680, who attempted to summarize all contemporary knowledge and link it to Christian theology.
Cultural Impact
The concept of the 'theater of the world,' central to the opera, was a common artistic image in Kircher's time, famously expressed in Shakespeare's 'All the world's a stage' and by Spanish playwright Pedro Calderón de la Barca.
Recording & Production
This recording of "Theatre of the World" was made in May 2016 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California, and was produced by Jesse Lewis.
Composition History
Louis Andriessen's "Theatre of the World" is a grotesque stagework in 9 scenes, co-produced by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Dutch National Opera.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Composer Louis Andriessen describes his music for "Theatre of the World" as traveling freely through history, using allusions to drive the drama, similar to pulling books or scores from his shelf.
