Music Theatre since 1990 - Schott Music

Synopsis
In Antonio der Dieb [Antonio the Thief], set in contemporary Venice, the title figure follows the
insinuations of the Devil, becomes a thief in order to satisfy his piercing hunger and subsequently
discovers that a devil can simultaneously be crook, prison warden, innkeeper and priest
in one.
Rodolfo Foscati is set in the historical period of the Italian campaign against the Hapsburgs in
1821 in Milan and is an enthralling tale of injured pride, revenge and betrayal.
Pantelleria – Die Insel der Schmerzen [Pantelleria – Island of Pain] is based in the contemporary
Mafia and drug-dealing world of Catania and relates the story of a respectable young man who
through a false female friend becomes involved with the dealings of her protector, a drug boss.
The tale ends with prison and hopelessness.
„Prisoner“ © LOU OATES - Fotolia.com
In the manner of Virginia Woolf’s “progression” through the ages as shown in her novel Orlando,
these three individual pieces depict how an innocent person loses his innocence: the Devil as enticer,
political pressure as provocation and finally the Mafia as a blackmailer in times of need.[…]
I decided on a variation technique […] which addresses Henze’s songs and also follows on from
them. In my work, all scenes and interludes process melodic, rhythmic and tonal motifs which are
present in the Henze originals – these naturally set the tone in attitude, atmosphere and instrumentation.
(Jörg Widmann)
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