Dessau, Paul
Orpheus und der Bürgermeister (1930)
Short opera
Libretto by Robert Seitz (G)
Scoring
T,B; mixed chorus; children's chorus;
1(=picc).1.2.asax.1-0.1.0.1-perc-hpd(=pft)-2vla.2vlc.
Abbreviations (PDF).
Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes for the world.
World Premiere
6/3/1930
Berliner Rundfunk, Berlin
Company: Unknown
World stage premiere
8/5/1977
Montepulciano
Company: Unknown
Roles
| ORPHEUS | Tenor |
| THE MAYOR | Bass |
| Mixed Choir | |
| Children's Choir |
Time and Place
In the streets of an imaginary town
Synopsis
Voices of the street, market criers, shouts. A child: 'Mum, who's that man over there, coming towards us? Look, he’s got naked legs and a short skirt!' Orpheus enters the square and delivers a short address. The people, he says, have got everything: cars, telephone, tennis, taxes, culture and even war. Only one thing is missing: a sense of good music! That is why he has come. His song is received enthusiastically by some, vehemently rejected by others. The mayor intervenes. Orpheus tells him that there is no remedy for music and that on former tours he was treated much better. The mayor orders the factory horns to be sounded and the fire-hose and machine guns to be set off. But everything turns into music. Orpheus is offered the post of general director of music, which he refuses for the sake of the late Offenbach. A year later, the first anniversary of Orpheus's visit is celebrated with a hymn: 'Music makes you young, music makes you slim, music is the best thing in the world!'
Moods
Comic, Poetic
Subjects
Society, Music/Arts
