A lecture and discussion with
Manuel Clancett
Doctoral Candidate, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany
Date: 26 March 2024 at 4:00 pm
Location: Feuchtwanger Memorial Library, Doheny Library (DML), Room 206
A lecture and discussion with
Prof. Eli Rubin
Western Michigan University
Date: 7 March 2024 at 4:00 pm
Location: Social Sciences Building (SOS)
Room 250
Light refreshments provided
Malachai Bandy and Oliver Mayer will discuss a new play Mayer is writing about German Baroque composer Dieterich Buxtehude.
An introduction to Buxtehude’s life and work; a table read of the play in progress, and a discussion facilitated by Paul Lerner about how to integrate music and dramatic action in future workshop performances.
Date: Wed 21 February 2024 at 4:00 pm
Location: USC Doheny Memorial Library (DML), Room 240
A lecture and discussion with
Prof. Andrew I. Port
Wayne State University
Date: 8 February 2024 at 4:00 pm PST
Location: Doheny Memorial Library (DML), Room 240
(join us in person or virtually on zoom)
James Conlon gives a talk and audiovisual presentation on Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (Der Zwerg).
Date: Friday 2 February 2024 at 12:00 pm
Location: USC Newman Recital Hall
700 Childs Way, Los Angeles, CA 90089
Alexander Zemlinsky (1871-1942) was an Austrian composer, conductor, and teacher who played a significant role in the late Romantic and early modern periods of classical music. Born in Vienna, Zemlinsky was a contemporary and colleague of composers like Arnold Schoenberg and Gustav Mahler. Despite his contributions to early 20th-century music, Zemlinsky’s works were overshadowed by his contemporaries and were neglected after his death, especially during the Nazi era due to his Jewish heritage. Zemlinsky left Europe for New York in 1938.
Zemlinsky’s one-act opera The Dwarf (Der Zwerg) is adapted from Oscar Wilde’s short story The Birthday of the Infanta. The opera unfolds at the birthday celebration of a Spanish crown princess, where she receives an unusual gift: a dwarf, whose purpose is to entertain her. Unaware of his own small stature, the dwarf captivates everyone with his enchanting singing voice, creating a poignant and emotional story. The end of Zemlinsky’s relationship with Alma Mahler inspired his personal connection to the story and his identification with the protagonist. The music of Der Zwerg is characterized by its striking contrasts, blending neoclassical and late-Romantic elements with intense expressionism, particularly evident in the title role, making it a unique and moving piece in the operatic repertoire.
A lecture and discussion with
Dr. Constanze Fritzsch
Fulbright Scholar, Getty Research Institute
Date: 23 January 2024 at 5:00 pm
Location: Max Kade Institute, 2714 S. Hoover Street
(Parking next to the building)
Reception to follow
