Credits:

Cornelius Meister

Description:

Against the backdrop of a series of murders that shook Paris, E.T.A. Hoffmann’s short story “Miss Skderi” depicts the worship of genius, twisted passion, and the darkness of sin. Published in 1819, this tale is both a crime novel and imbued with a rich spirit of Romanticism. In 1925, Hindemith adapted this subject into an opera based on a libretto by the poet Ferdinand Lyon. Influenced by the New Objectivity movement, the music blends traditional forms with a modern musical language, constructed using neo-baroque techniques that combine cold precision with dramatic tension. This album features a live recording of the acclaimed new production at the Vienna State Opera, with a stellar cast of singers. The title role is sung by Tomasz Konieczny, a Polish actor turned singer who is active as a Wagnerian. The overwhelming expressiveness of Vera-Lotte Becker, named Opera World’s 2021/2022 Singer