Tucholsky’s Mirror

The personality and works of Kurt Tucholsky served as the starting point for an opera at the Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg about this prophetic writer and scathing critic – the poet/playboy who spent an amorous weekend in Rheinsberg in 1912, immortalised in his “Storybook for Lovers”. As the publisher of Weltbühne, Kurt Tucholsky’s texts were as multifaceted and varied as the pseudonyms he used – such as Benno Büffel and Ignaz Wrobel. Tucholsky’s writings oscillated between emotionality and keen intellect, between humour and despair at the political developments in the Weimar Republic. In 1929, he moved to Sweden where he remained permanently. In 1933, the National Socialists banned Weltbühne and revoked the Jewish émigré’s citizenship. In their contemporary opera, the writer Christoph Klimke and composer James Reynolds focused on Kurt Tucholsky and four of his alter egos: Peter Panter, Theobald Tiger, Kaspar Hauser and Ignaz Wrobel. Like the writer Tucholsky, who very much aimed to entertain readers with his texts, the Tucholsky opera made no distinction between “entertainment” and “serious music” as is the convention, and reflected on the facets of Tucholsky’s personality in a variety of musical styles. Accordingly, the orchestra was comprised of an equally multifaceted complement, including a string ensemble, jazz combo, woodwinds, brass and percussion. Twelve vocalists had been selected in an international singing competition. The world premiere of the opera took place during the 2017 festival season at the Schlosstheater Rheinsberg.

Artistic director: Frank Matthus
Composer: James Reynolds (US)
Librettist: Christoph Klimke
Stage director: Robert Nemack
Research advisor: Peter Böthig
Symposium director: Clarence Barlow
Orchestra: Kammerakademie Potsdam