Antikrist
Encyclopedia
Antikrist is a Danish
opera
by Rued Langgaard
. This is Langgaard's only opera, composed in 1921-23 and reworked 1926-30. Despite several attempts by the composer's hand, the work was first premiered in 1999, many years after Langgaard's death. Today, it shall be counted as Langgaard's principal work, it is included in Kulturkanonen and it was the first Danish opera recorded on DVD in 2002.
The first version of Antichrist was completed in 1923 and lodged at the Royal Theater that year. There it was rejected because of censorship problems and rejected several times later.
In 1926 the composer began a complete rewrite of the work. The text - which had been the overriding reason for the rejection was radically rewritten. The new version was completed in 1930, after which Lang said again tried to get it accepted at the Royal Theater. It didn't help; it was rejected and again in 1935, again with the text as a primary criticism.
Slightly more successful was Rued Langgaard in getting the work accepted by the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, where the conductor Launy Grøndahl
worked on the opera in 1940. The work however was not used until 1980 by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra
under Michael Schønwandt
. The first recording is from 1986, with Ole Schmidt and Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
As a scenic opera Antichrist premiered in 1999 at Tiroler Country Theater in Innsbruck, on the initiative of the Danish conductor Niels Muus. 3 years later the opera was premiered in Denmark in cooperation between DR and the Royal Theater. The performance that took place in Ridehuset at Christiansborg in 2002 was released on DVD in 2005.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
by Rued Langgaard
Rued Langgaard
Rued Langgaard was a late-Romantic Danish composer and organist. His then-unconventional music was at odds with that of his Danish contemporaries and was recognized only 16 years after his death.- Life :Born in Copenhagen, Rued Langgaard was the only son of composer and Royal Chamber...
. This is Langgaard's only opera, composed in 1921-23 and reworked 1926-30. Despite several attempts by the composer's hand, the work was first premiered in 1999, many years after Langgaard's death. Today, it shall be counted as Langgaard's principal work, it is included in Kulturkanonen and it was the first Danish opera recorded on DVD in 2002.
The first version of Antichrist was completed in 1923 and lodged at the Royal Theater that year. There it was rejected because of censorship problems and rejected several times later.
In 1926 the composer began a complete rewrite of the work. The text - which had been the overriding reason for the rejection was radically rewritten. The new version was completed in 1930, after which Lang said again tried to get it accepted at the Royal Theater. It didn't help; it was rejected and again in 1935, again with the text as a primary criticism.
Slightly more successful was Rued Langgaard in getting the work accepted by the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, where the conductor Launy Grøndahl
Launy Grøndahl
Launy Grøndahl was a Danish composer and conductor. Grøndahl studied the violin from the age of eight. His first work as a professional musician was as a violinist was with the Orchestra of the Casino Theatre in Copenhagen when he was aged just thirteen.He was also for a long period of time the...
worked on the opera in 1940. The work however was not used until 1980 by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra
Danish National Symphony Orchestra
The Danish National Symphony Orchestra , is a Danish orchestra based in Copenhagen. The DNSO is the principal orchestra of DR...
under Michael Schønwandt
Michael Schønwandt
Michael Schønwandt is a Danish conductor. In Denmark, he studied piano, theory, and composition, and later continued musical studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London....
. The first recording is from 1986, with Ole Schmidt and Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
As a scenic opera Antichrist premiered in 1999 at Tiroler Country Theater in Innsbruck, on the initiative of the Danish conductor Niels Muus. 3 years later the opera was premiered in Denmark in cooperation between DR and the Royal Theater. The performance that took place in Ridehuset at Christiansborg in 2002 was released on DVD in 2005.