Die Soldaten (The Soldiers) is a four act opera in German by German composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann, based on the 1776 play by Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz. It is dedicated to Hans Rosbaud. Zimmermann himself faithfully adapted the play into the libretto, the only changes to the text being repeats and small cuts. It is the composer's only completed opera and is considered an important work of the second half of the 20th century.
Die Soldaten came ...
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Die Soldaten (The Soldiers) is a four act opera in German by German composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann, based on the 1776 play by Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz. It is dedicated to Hans Rosbaud. Zimmermann himself faithfully adapted the play into the libretto, the only changes to the text being repeats and small cuts. It is the composer's only completed opera and is considered an important work of the second half of the 20th century.
Die Soldaten came about as a result of a commission from the Cologne Opera. Zimmermann began work on the opera in 1957. His original vision was to present the opera on 12 stages that surrounded the audience, however, the Cologne officials advised Zimmermann that his original vision was impossible to realize. An early version of the score was deemed unplayable, so in 1963, Zimmermann prepared a vocal symphony using music from the opera for concert play. According to his widow, Zimmermann did not complete that original score. From 1963 to 1964, during a study...
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