# Krenek operas



## Guest (May 4, 2011)

I am new to Krenek operas...I bought one on DVD...quite interesting but the scenario (mise-en-scène) is weird...a School teacher replaces Charles V.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=dvd&field-keywords=karl+V+krenek&x=0&y=0

Me


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I don't know these operas. Would you review them for us once you watch them? I'm always curious to explore new ones.
Welcome to the forum.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

I've heard the CD recording of Karl V from the Bonn Opera conducted by Michel Soustrot and it's certainly interesting ,in a kind of cerebral way. If you're the type whose favorite opera composer is Puccini, you probably won't like it at all.
I also have the Decca recording of his first (and probably only ) big operatic success, Jonny Spielt Auf (Jonny Strikes Up), which is an early and not at all atonal work about the misadventures of an African-America Jazz musician in 20s Europe. 
This opera was a big success all over Germany and Austria, and was even performed at the Met.But Krenek's fortunes ended when the Nazis took power and branded the opera as "Degenerate art", andhe fled to America.
The Decca recording,with Lothar Zagrosek and the Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestra,plus Alessandra Marc and Heinz Kruse,is part of Decca's Degenerate Music project and is probably hard ot find now, but worth seeking out.


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