Alexander von Zemlinsky: Der Zwerg

Based on Oscar Wilde’s story The Birthday of the Infanta, Zemlinsky’s single-act opera Der Zwerg is the tragic tale of a dwarf who is presented at court, falls in love with the beautiful Donna Clara, but is ultimately forced to see himself as others see him and to die of a broken heart. Preceded by Schoenberg’s Accompaniment to a Cinematographic Scene, Op. 34, Zemlinsky’s Romantic score is full of psychological intrigue. Is Der Zwerg a critique of society’s superficiality? Is it the composer’s self-portrait in his doomed affair with Alma Schindler? Director Tobias Kratzer’s stunning, transparent production creates a space in which each character is thrown into sharp relief in this ‘fine, noble and melancholy work’ (Bachtrack.com).

This is a work that deliberately challenges audiences, but which is here played with a breathtaking combination of imagination and responsibility. Zemlinsky’s lush masterpiece is vividly presented by the orchestra under Donald Runnicles, who balances flawlessly the complex textures of both scores. — Opera, February 2021