Search - Bernd Gebhardt, Jorg Sabrowski, Matthias Klein :: Franz Schreker: Christophorus oder "Die Vision einer Oper"

A curiosity

Classic Music Lover | Maryland, USA | 01/17/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This later Schreker opera was never performed in the composer's lifetime -- and it shows. While probably of interest to the die-hard Schreker fan, it comes across as episodic, with the music and characters strangely unrealized. There are also a good deal more "modern" musical idioms in this opera than one hears in Schreker's other stage works.



I count myself a Schreker afficionado, yet I find this work difficult to love (or even like). There are so many other good operatic works of his that are more fulfilling on musical, storyline and stagecraft levels. My recommendation is to stick with Schreker's other operatic fare ... my two personal favorites are Die Gezeichneten ("The Branded Ones") and Irrelohe ("Crazy Fire")."