Composer

:

Rudi Stephan

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Compose Date

:

1914

Average_duration

:

102:22

Die ersten Menschen (The First Humans) is an opera composed by Rudi Stephan, a German composer who was born in Worms in 1887. The opera was composed between 1912 and 1915, and it was premiered in Frankfurt on October 28, 1920, after Stephan's death in World War I. The opera is divided into three movements, each of which represents a different stage in the evolution of humanity. The first movement, titled "The Awakening," depicts the emergence of the first humans from the natural world. The second movement, "The Struggle," portrays the conflict and violence that arises as humans begin to form societies and compete for resources. The final movement, "The Triumph," represents the triumph of human reason and the emergence of civilization. The music of Die ersten Menschen is characterized by its modernist style, which incorporates elements of atonality and dissonance. Stephan was heavily influenced by the music of Arnold Schoenberg, and his opera reflects the influence of Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique. However, Stephan also incorporates elements of traditional German music, including folk melodies and hymns. The plot of Die ersten Menschen is based on a libretto by the German poet and playwright Paul Claudel. The libretto is a poetic meditation on the nature of humanity and the evolution of civilization. The opera does not have a traditional narrative structure, but rather presents a series of tableaux that explore different aspects of human existence. Despite its innovative music and poetic libretto, Die ersten Menschen was not well-received at its premiere. The opera was criticized for its difficult music and abstract plot, and it was not performed again until 1988. However, in recent years, the opera has been rediscovered and is now recognized as an important work of early 20th-century music.

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