Brunibár

Aninka and Pepícek want to sing on the market square to raise money for their sick mother. But the organ grinder Brundibár drives them away. Thanks to the help of the dog, cat and sparrow and together with the other children in the town, they manage to hold their own against the villain. With Brundibár, Hans Krása and his librettist Adolf Hoffmeister created a piece about the power of community, which today can be considered synonymous with music in Terezín.

Written in 1938, the children’s opera was premiered in Prague’s Jewish orphanage in autumn 1941. From September 1943, the composer performed a revised version over 50 times together with other inmates in the Terezín camp. Since its first publication in 1992, Brundibár has been one of the key musical experiences of many children around the world.

> More about the work, content, versions, instrumentation and current performances

 
In recent times, Krása’s children’s opera has also repeatedly inspired other artists – to create outstanding stage productions or their own works. Some of the new compositions emerged in this context are recommended for performances in combination with Brundibár:

PAUL ARON SANDFORT:
Overture to Brundibár for chamber orchestra
composed by the former child trumpeter of the performances in Terezín, this pieces offers a prelude to the stage play, which Hans Krása did not compose at the time

PETR POKORNÝ:
Hommage à “Brundibár” for small orchestra
also suitable as an overture to the opera for stage performances
Brundibár Suite for ensemble
arrangement of excerpts from the opera

COLIN MATTHEWS:
Brundibár Suite for ensemble
arranged in 2011 for the British Nash Ensemble in a slightly smaller instrumentation than the original

SUSAN KANDER:
And You And I for soprano, choirs and instruments
based on a musical motif from the opera, on the Song of Songs, and a poem written by a girl in the Terezín camp

BRETT DEAN:
Katz und Spatz (Cat and Sparrow) for 8-part mixed choir
a moving choral piece inspired by contemporary eyewitness accounts as well as by modern performances of the opera

BRUNDIBÁR
How Aninka and Pepícek defeated the organ grinder
A read-aloud book for children aged four and over
narrated by Hannelore Brenner with pictures by Maria Thomaschke
Boosey & Hawkes Bote & Bock, Berlin 2023
in co-operation with Edition Room 28, supported by Room 28 e. V.,
ISBN 978-3-7931-4554-7 | 64pp. | hardcover

Music downloads for the book:
Lied des Milchmanns („Wollt ihr von der Milch ...“)
Lied von der Gans („Un’sre Gans ist ausgeflogen“)
Lied vom Flieger („Seht ihr den Flieger dort?“)
Erstes Lied des Brundibár („Solche kleinen frechen Helden ...“)
Nachtlied der Tiere („Schon bricht die Nacht herein“)
Zweites Lied des Brundibár („Guten Morgen, liebe Hörer“)
Wiegenlied („Mutter wiegt sanft ihr Kind“)
Schlusslied („Ihr müßt auf Freundschaft bau’n“)