by Johannes Erath and Michael BoderSpecial Project at the Reactor
On the 150th birthday of Arnold Schönberg

Premiere: April 26, 2024
in German language

Klangforum Wien
Arnold Schoenberg Chor
Conductor: Michael Boder
Director and Light: Johannes Erath

He painted playing cards, developed a chess game for four players, invented fairy tales, was an important contributor to Der Blaue Reiter as a painter, witnessed Europe’s darkest hours, nearly made it in Hollywood, was a keen tennis player, and, as is generally better known, is one of the most influential composers in the history of music: Arnold Schoenberg. His music still divides opinion today.
For the MusikTheater an der Wien, Johannes Erath and Michael Boder create a sensuously crazy evening that delves deep into Schoenberg’s studio and soul. They are assisted by Christine Schäfer, Magdalena Anna Hofmann, the Klangforum Wien and the Arnold Schoenberg Choir, all of whom have proven track records as Schoenberg experts and have made valuable contributions to the MusikTheater an der Wien in recent decades.
Together they will of course also try to answer the most crucial question of all: whether twelve-tone technique is really all about giving equal weight to the twelve notes of the chromatic scale or whether the composer’s severe triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13) forced him to stop once he had reached twelve!