Der Haifisch vom Broadway

The program presents music by Kurt Weill, born in Dessau in 1900. He is one of the most unusual composers of German and American theater music. His collaboration with Bertold Brecht created a new form of musical theater, full of provocations and biting social criticism. ‘The Threepenny Opera’, ‘Mahagonny’, ‘Happy End’ and other works caused violent tumult at their premiere. After fleeing the Nazis in 1933, Weill lived briefly in Paris and later in the U.S., where he continued to compose and the influence of jazz and American music led to Broadway works such as ‘Knickerbocker Holiday,’ ‘One Touch of Venus,’ ‘Lost in the Stars’ and ‘Lady in the Dark.’ They influenced subsequent generations and are among Broadway’s best. Poems by Bert Brecht and piano solos by Kurt Weill complete the program.