“Der Kaiser von Atlantis” to Be Performed by Virtuosi Orchestra and Lyric Opera

The opera “Der Kaiser von Atlantis” is to be performed in New Britain by Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra and the Connecticut Lyric Opera.

The opera, “Der Kaiser von Atlantis oder Die Tod-Verweigerung,” (The Emperor of Atlantis or The Disobedience of Death) was created by composer Viktor Ullmann to a libretto by Peter Kien in 1943 while both men were held by the Nazi regime in the Terezín (Theresienstadt) concentration camp.

The opera will be performed on Thursday, March 28, 2019 at 7:30pm. The performance will be at Trinity-On-Main at 69 Main Street.

The Connecticut Lyric Opera says that the opera,

was created in 1943 at the Theresienstadt concentration camp, the “Artists Camp”” that was used to deceive the Red Cross and the world to show how well the Jews were living under the “benevolent” protection of the Third Reich. Poets, artists, composers, playwrights, philosophers, business people, families all lived here, for a while… There was an orchestra, various instrumental ensembles, a theatre company and an opera company – there were also torture chambers, tens of thousands of people died from disease or starvation (mostly), and above all, it was a transit camp from which more than 100,000 souls were sent to their deaths at Auschwitz, Treblinka and elsewhere. SS officers attended a final rehearsal of Kaiser in September 1944 and became outraged by what they saw.

The Connecticut Lyric Opera recounts that the Nazis shut down the performance and sent Ullmann, Kien, the opera’s performers and all their families to Auschwitz to be murdered. “Only the composition and several of the singers survived,” the Lyric Opera said.

“Der Kaiser von Atlantis” tells the story of Emperor Overall, who the SS saw as representing Adolph Hitler. The Emperor declares a universal war in which everyone will die. The declaration appalls Death, who declared a strike, allowing people to suffer the wounds of battle but be unable to die. The growing misery is only resolved when Death agrees to call off his strike – on the condition that the Emperor be, himself, the first to die.

Artistic Director and Conductor for the performance is Adrian Sylveen. Alan Mann is Stage Director.

The role of “Emperor Overall” will be performed by baritone Ivan Conrad. Bass baritone Justin Ryan will perform the role of “Loudspeaker”. Joel Edwards, a tenor, will perform the role of “A soldier”. Tenor Daniel Kamalic will perform “Harlekin”. Sopranos Jurate Svedaite or Felicia Baker will perform the role of “A maiden”. “Death” will be performed by bass-baritone Steve Fredericks. Mezzo-soprano Rachel Abrams will perform “Drummer girl”.

Tickets are $35 and $25 for seniors, and may be purchased online from the Connecticut Viruosi’s tickets website.

The Connecticut Lyric Opera announced that it has received a $24,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Artworks for the performance of “Der Kaiser von Atlantis”.

The opera will also be performed on Sunday, March 31st at the Wadsworth Atheneum.