Abstract
This article is a study of the musical and literary sources of Stefan Wolpe's chamber operas Schöne Geschichten and Zeus und Elida. Wolpe composed his musical theater pieces at the high point of the cultivation of a mixture of genres. Zeus und Elida does not adapt the mythological story, but rather, as ‘a musical grotesque’ (the subtitle) takes it into the present day with a novel socio-political interpretation that has links with Ruttmann's film Berlin, die Symphonie einer Großstadt. Jazz in Zeus und Elida, unlike Krenek's Jonny spielt auf, is not merely decorative, but rather functions as the stylistic basis for a critique of society that transcends mere topical entertainment. The style of Schöne Geschichten is more uncompromising, with occasional uses of twelve-tone processes. The material, capable of multiple combinations, is gained from the concatenation, inversion or permutation of specific interval groupings.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
