"The Emperor of Atlantis" by Viktor Ullmann

WHAT WE NEED AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO USE IT

The Asociación Aragonesa de la Ópera was born in autumn 2009 to give back a stable and quality lyric programme to the city of Zaragoza and its surroundings. At the moment we are working in a "Conference on Music and Holocaust" with the performance of the opera "The emperor of Atlantis" by Viktor Ullmann, a critic parody about Hitler and totalitarianism, created in the Terezín concentration camp. It is a scarcely performed opera with a great symbolic and musical value, for the topic it deals with an how it is presented. 5000 € are required to finish financing the project and be able to put the work to the stage.

The contributions we get will go straight to finance the production expenses, that is, to defray the musical costs of the orchestra, singers and technical crew. For our performance we count on a great musical team, leaded by the well known composer José María Sánchez-Verdú, who wil be responsible of the musical direction of the opera.

The day 24 october 2013, within the aforementioned conference, the performance will take place and the rewards intended as a way to thank our sponsors will be given.

Links with further information

• Complete opera audio available on Youtube.
• Information about Viktor Ullmann
• Information about "Der Kaiser von Atlantis"

ARTISTIC CREDITS

Here is the artistic cast that will take part in the performance that will take place next october 24 at 20:30 in the Teatro Principal in Zaragoza:

Kaiser Overall - Toni Marsol

Der Lautsprecher/Der Tod - Josep Ferrer

Ein Soldat - Walter Castillo

Soldat II - Iker Montero

Bubikopf - Martha Mathéu

Harlekin - Antoni Comas

Der Trommler - Claudia Schneider

Reino de Aragón Orchestra

Musical Direction - José María Sánchez-Verdú

Scenic Direction - Martha Eguilior

Set and Costume Design - Cristiana Baldetti

Lighting Design - Martha Eguilior y David Pujol

WHY SUPPORT THIS PROJECT?

• for its singularity: according to the Operabase statistics, this opera is a very uncommon title, very seldom programmed by theatres in spite of its great artistic value and its tremendous historic significance. The occasions to see it performed live are, then, really few, and this performance scheduled in Zaragoza has without any doubt a great national and international interest in this way.

• for its moral and philosophic significance: in the context of a Conference on "Music and Holocaust" that will reflect on the topic of the degenerate music (Entarntete Musik), that is, about those composers and works the nazism thought should be forbidden, in spite of their great artistic value, just for the ethnic or ideologic origin of their creators.

• for the artistic team gathered for the occasion, where the figure of the composer José María Sánchez-Verdú stands out, a great musician, internationally recognized in the area of contemporary music. We also count on a first class spanish singers cast, with names like Toni Marsol or Martha Mathéu, among others, regulars in theatres like the Liceo in Barcelona. The scenic direction is in charge of Martha Eguilior, a young and promising name in this theatrical field.