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Symbolism and parody in Viktor Ullmann's opera The Emperor of Atlantis and Hans Karasa's opera, Brundibar
Essay Instructions:
Compare Viktor Ullmann's opera The Emperor of Atlantis With Hans Karasa's opera, Brundibar. Discuss the plot of each and use of symbolism and parody. In addition to your research, you must listen to both works and include your personal reactions to the music.
- Be cogent: state your ideas convincingly.
- Your writing must be original. You may not copy and paste text from another source, other than brief quotations. All quotations must be attributed with a note or footnote in standard format.
- Include a bibliography and discography at the end of your report.
- You may use some web sources for your research, but you must also include at least one article or book.
It for a Music of the Jewish People class so please include background information on both Operas as they were created in the Terezin Concentration Camp.
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Symbolism and parody in Viktor Ullmann’s opera The Emperor of Atlantis and Hans Karasa’s opera, Brundibar
Introduction
The Terezin concentration camp also known as the Theresienstadt concentration camp was a German ghetto that was used to concentrate Jews from countries such as Austria, Denmark, Czechoslovakia and Netherlands. It was built by Emperor Josef II as a fortress but was converted to a prison by the German leader Hitler during the Nazi period of WWII (Kramer, & Lishinsky, 33). Many of the Jews died there and because of the deplorable conditions and lack of resources at the camp due to including overpopulation. Many artists, writers and enemies of the authorities were sent there ensure they could not enlighten the public about the civilized world. It was mainly used as a transit camp for the Jews to be killed in other areas (Kramer, & Lishinsky, 41). It is here that such work as “The Emperor of Atlantis” and “Brundibar” were created. This paper critically analyses the Symbolism and parody in Viktor Ullmann’s opera The Emperor of Atlantis and Hans Karasa’s opera, Brundibar.
Viktor Ullmann’s opera “The Emperor of Atlantis”
Also known in German as the Der Kaiser von Atlantis (The Emperor of Atlantis), or oder Die Tod-Verweigerung (Death's Abdicates) the opera became renowned in Nazi as a legend that had four scenes. It was an opera done by Viktor Ullmann and Petr Kien who collaborated to deliver a masterpiece. It was about the political intrigues and activities of the World War II and acted to deliver messages of life and death (Kramer, & Lishinsky, 41). The four scene opera requires seven singers accompanied by thirteen –piece chamber orchestra. The characters developed in the opera are the Emperor Uberall, The loud speaker, Death, harlequin, Soldier, the Lady Soldier and the Drummer.
The loudspeaker is first in the scene to introduce the characters and sets the scene for the play to start; harlequin starts with the lamentations of a lonely and difficult life where they live in a kingdom that’s has no love or hilarity. It is a kingdom filled with sorrow and anguish and the inhabitants are willing to sell themselves away to any willing buyer. The author states “In this poor world, what choice is there but to sell our soul at the village fair? Are there any takers? We all want to get rid of ourselfs. We'll all go to where the four winds drive us” (Ullmann, 6). Death appears in the scene and comments on the ways days are passing fast and unnoticed in the environment they are living in. Death mocks the idea that it can be the option to end the suffering and bring relief and proclaims that through death there is more suffering which is intense and prolonged; this is parody developed in the opera.
Indeed death laments how the respect he once commanded is now gone for instance how warriors would dress and go in the battlefield to meet. In the opera the motorized chariots of war from the emperor are symbolic of the industrial and technological advancement in the world and death does not keep up with the pace (Ullmann, par 4). The drummer appears in the scene to deliver the Emperor Uberall’s mandate where he declares that everyone against each other and kill them and leave no survivors (Ullmann, 46). Weapons are of war are carried by everyone so as to wage war and kill each other. Death is outraged by this decree and declares a strike so as to make long the life of individuals but full of suffering.
The second scene is held at the emperor’s palace as the progress of war is monitored; and death’s strike is unearthed when even a man is hanged and later shot but does not die. This is seen as parody since they mock the emperor against his wishes. The loudspeaker also announces of soldiers wanting and struggling to die to with no success (Rollin, par 6). The Emperor counters death through announcing a gift of eternal life to all the subjects as a propaganda campaign.
The third act involves the encounter between the bobbed hair girl and the soldier where they are both enemies; but love one another when death does not come. Their change of mind makes them dream of beautiful places and a w...
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Symbolism and parody in Viktor Ullmann’s opera The Emperor of Atlantis and Hans Karasa’s opera, Brundibar
Introduction
The Terezin concentration camp also known as the Theresienstadt concentration camp was a German ghetto that was used to concentrate Jews from countries such as Austria, Denmark, Czechoslovakia and Netherlands. It was built by Emperor Josef II as a fortress but was converted to a prison by the German leader Hitler during the Nazi period of WWII (Kramer, & Lishinsky, 33). Many of the Jews died there and because of the deplorable conditions and lack of resources at the camp due to including overpopulation. Many artists, writers and enemies of the authorities were sent there ensure they could not enlighten the public about the civilized world. It was mainly used as a transit camp for the Jews to be killed in other areas (Kramer, & Lishinsky, 41). It is here that such work as “The Emperor of Atlantis” and “Brundibar” were created. This paper critically analyses the Symbolism and parody in Viktor Ullmann’s opera The Emperor of Atlantis and Hans Karasa’s opera, Brundibar.
Viktor Ullmann’s opera “The Emperor of Atlantis”
Also known in German as the Der Kaiser von Atlantis (The Emperor of Atlantis), or oder Die Tod-Verweigerung (Death's Abdicates) the opera became renowned in Nazi as a legend that had four scenes. It was an opera done by Viktor Ullmann and Petr Kien who collaborated to deliver a masterpiece. It was about the political intrigues and activities of the World War II and acted to deliver messages of life and death (Kramer, & Lishinsky, 41). The four scene opera requires seven singers accompanied by thirteen –piece chamber orchestra. The characters developed in the opera are the Emperor Uberall, The loud speaker, Death, harlequin, Soldier, the Lady Soldier and the Drummer.
The loudspeaker is first in the scene to introduce the characters and sets the scene for the play to start; harlequin starts with the lamentations of a lonely and difficult life where they live in a kingdom that’s has no love or hilarity. It is a kingdom filled with sorrow and anguish and the inhabitants are willing to sell themselves away to any willing buyer. The author states “In this poor world, what choice is there but to sell our soul at the village fair? Are there any takers? We all want to get rid of ourselfs. We'll all go to where the four winds drive us” (Ullmann, 6). Death appears in the scene and comments on the ways days are passing fast and unnoticed in the environment they are living in. Death mocks the idea that it can be the option to end the suffering and bring relief and proclaims that through death there is more suffering which is intense and prolonged; this is parody developed in the opera.
Indeed death laments how the respect he once commanded is now gone for instance how warriors would dress and go in the battlefield to meet. In the opera the motorized chariots of war from the emperor are symbolic of the industrial and technological advancement in the world and death does not keep up with the pace (Ullmann, par 4). The drummer appears in the scene to deliver the Emperor Uberall’s mandate where he declares that everyone against each other and kill them and leave no survivors (Ullmann, 46). Weapons are of war are carried by everyone so as to wage war and kill each other. Death is outraged by this decree and declares a strike so as to make long the life of individuals but full of suffering.
The second scene is held at the emperor’s palace as the progress of war is monitored; and death’s strike is unearthed when even a man is hanged and later shot but does not die. This is seen as parody since they mock the emperor against his wishes. The loudspeaker also announces of soldiers wanting and struggling to die to with no success (Rollin, par 6). The Emperor counters death through announcing a gift of eternal life to all the subjects as a propaganda campaign.
The third act involves the encounter between the bobbed hair girl and the soldier where they are both enemies; but love one another when death does not come. Their change of mind makes them dream of beautiful places and a w...
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