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Arts & Entertainment

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BIT

Local and national performances
celebrate the centenary of a
German-born Jewish composer
who fled Hitler and enriched
American musical theater.

a suite from The Threepenny Opera and Mascheks
Concertino for Piano.
Weill's works also can be heard on recently
released recordings, including Die Burgschaft, per-
he earliest song attributed to composer
formed at the Spoleto Festival USA, and Lotte
Kurt Weill, "Mi Addir," celebrated a
Lenya Sings American Theatre Songs of Kurt Weill.
Jewish wedding. It was in keeping with
Readers can look to Kurt Weill: A Life in Pictures
his upbringing as the son of a German
and Documents (Overlook Press), Kurt Weill Songs:
cantor.
A Centennial Anthology (Warner Brothers) and
True to his religion, bilt not religious, Weill
Speak Low (When You Speak Love): The Love Letters
would express his roots. throughout his career —
of Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya (University of
from anti-Nazi music that would force him to flee
California Press).
the country of his birth for France to the biblically
"The centenary celebrations were the
inspired The Eternal Road,
result of several years of planning," says
the musical drama telling
Carolyn Weber, associate director for pro-
the story of the persecution
gram administration and business affairs at
of the Jewish people, first -
the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music in
performed in 1937 in New
New York.
York and recently staged
"The general public is just beginning to
there again after a period of
learn about the breadth of Weill's talent. It
more than 60 years.
seems that people in Europe knew about his
This year production
early works but knew nothing about the
companies around the world
extensive music that was composed after he
are performing Weill's
left Germany in 1933. American audiences,
diverse legacy of music to
although better informed about the German
celebrate the centenary of
works, still have a chance to learn about
his birth. Detroiters also will
some of the lesser-known [pieces].
have the opportunity to
"If people just listen to his music and the
learn more about the man
variety in his music, they're going to enjoy it
whose works, in collabora-
very much and come to realize that Weill
tion with numerous talented
was a genius."
lyricists, include "September
Weill, composing and mounting con-
Song," "My Ship," "Speak
Weill collaborated with
certs and dramatic works by the time he was
Low" and "Mack the Knife," librettist Maxwell Anderson
12, was conscripted as a substitute accompa-
among so many others: .
on "Lost ire the Stars,"
nist at the Dessau Court Theater during
Close to home, Pamela
a work .thal paved the
World War I.
Schiffer will perform his
By 1925, a series of performances in Berlin
music Aug. 13 at the Detroit way of such musical plays
as "West Side Story"
and at international music festivals estab-
Institute of Arts, where she
lished him as one of the leading composers of
also will tell about his life.
Right: Kurt Weill: "When
his generation.
An Oct. 25 concert at
my music involve human
Deciding that musical theater would be his
Wayne State University will
calling, he made his debut in Dresden in
feature a wind ensemble and suffering, it is, for better or
1926 with the opera Der Protagonist, a one-
pianists Robert Conway and worse, pure Weilh" said the
acter on a text by Georg Kaiser.
Catherine Wilson presenting composer before his death.

SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to the Jewish News

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8/11
2000

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