Paul Dessau, the composer, was a politically loyal but also defiant citizen of the GDR for three decades, having returned to Germany after American exile.
Critical Reception
After its premiere in 1969, "Lanzelot" had only eleven performances at the Berlin Staatsoper and two new productions before disappearing into oblivion for half a century.
Performer Biography
The Staatskapelle Weimar, the orchestra performing on this recording, was founded in 1491 and is one of the oldest and most illustrious orchestras in the world.
Compositional Technique
Dessau's "Lanzelot" incorporates a wide range of musical styles, from baroque concerto grosso and Bachian counterpoint to jazz, dodecaphony, and avant-garde music.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Dessau insisted on an advanced musical language, often using Arnold Schoenberg's twelve-tone method, to defy the party's demand for populist music.
Compositional Technique
The opera "Lanzelot" uses pre-recorded tape recordings and noise salvos played through panoramically arranged loudspeakers to draw the audience into the sound.
Composition History
Paul Dessau's opera "Lanzelot" is based on motifs by Hans Christian Andersen and the fairy tale comedy "The Dragon" by Evgeny Schwarz.
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