Abstracts of issue 19 (2007)

The Characteristics of the Operatic Renovation and of the “Zeitoper” during the Weimar Republic

The “Weimar Republic” era (1918-1933) was an exceptionally fruitful period in terms of cultural activity. This article, starting from Richard Strauss’ opera Intermezzo (1923-1924), focuses of the operatic works of P. Hindemith, E. Krenek and K. Weill of this period by exploring and detecting the origins and the idiomatic-stylistic characteristics and by describing the historical-social context of the operatic renovation and reform which took place in Germany at that time. Furthermore, the tendency of “New Objectivity” is analysed, the opening to the wide public and the total use of art, as well as the redefinition and reestablishment of the operatic components during this specific period.

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