Teddy Conducts Der Kaiser Von Atlantis

Experience the historic performance of Viktor Ullmann’s Der Kaiser Von Atlantis, composed in the Theresienstadt concentration camp during WWII. This poignant opera tells the story of a tyrant whose reign ends when ‘Death’ refuses to take more lives. With striking projections from the graphic novel, Death Strikes, and an outstanding cast, this fully staged production is paired with Brittany J. Green’s Thread and Pull, exploring themes of tension and resilience. This performance honors Holocaust survivor and former Louisville Orchestra concertmaster Paul Kling, who was imprisoned in Theresienstadt and slated to perform this opera at just 14 years old.

Why This Concert Matters

Der Kaiser von Atlantis is more than a performance; it is a profound connection to history, resilience, and the Louisville Orchestra’s own legacy. Composed by Viktor Ullmann during his imprisonment in the Terezín concentration camp, this work serves as a testament to the indomitable human spirit and the power of art to endure even in the darkest times.

This performance holds special significance for the Louisville Orchestra through our relationship with Paul Kling, a Holocaust survivor and remarkable violinist. At just 14 years old, Kling was slated to perform Der Kaiser von Atlantis in Terezín before escaping to freedom. He later became the Louisville Orchestra’s concertmaster, contributing his artistry and leadership to our community throughout the 1970s and 1980s. His story bridges the gap between historical memory and the Orchestra’s commitment to preserving and elevating meaningful works.

As we approach Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, 2025, this concert offers an opportunity to honor the victims of the Holocaust and reflect on the lessons of the past. It reminds us of music’s power to inspire hope and foster understanding, carrying forward a legacy of remembrance and resilience. For the Louisville Orchestra, this performance is not only a tribute but a continuation of our mission to connect history, culture, and community through music.

Program

Brittany green – Thread and pull

Thread and Pull explores concepts of restraint, constraint, dissension, and freedom. Recurring melodic and aleatoric figures move throughout the ensemble, halted by driving rhythmic motives before breaking free at the end of the piece. Thread and Pull is a reflection on the complications and contradictions marginalized people must navigate this imperialist, white supremacist, capitalist, patriarchal society. The piece utilizes text from Ghazal 1419 by Jalāl al-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (public domain). Thread and Pull was commissioned in 2022 by Fifth House Ensemble and the Fresh Inc. Festival.

Viktor Ullmann – Der Kaiser von Atlantis

• Emperor
• The Loudspeaker
• Death
• Harlequin/A Soldier
• The Girl with Bobbed Hair/A Soldier
• The Drummer

Tomer Zvulun, Production Director
Gregory Boyle, Staging Director
Driscoll Otto, Lighting/Projection Designer
Erik Teague, Costume Designer

Teddy Abrams, Conductor
Ryan McKinny, Death
Dylon Crain, Harlequin
Emmett O’Hanlon, Der Kaiser
Erin Wagner, Drummer
Andrew Bearden Brown, Soldier
Emily Albrink, Bubikopf

Der Kaiser von Atlantis, composed by Viktor Ullmann in 1943, is a profound and defiant work born under the most harrowing circumstances. Ullmann, a gifted composer and conductor of Jewish heritage, was deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp during World War II. In this unique camp, where the Nazis allowed a degree of cultural activity to serve their propaganda, Ullmann composed this satirical opera. The story, centered on a tyrannical ruler whose reign collapses when Death refuses to take more lives, serves as a bold allegory of resistance against oppression. Tragically, Ullmann and many of his collaborators were transported to Auschwitz before the opera could be performed and were killed in 1944. Despite these atrocities, Ullmann’s work survived, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of art to confront tyranny and inspire hope. Today, Der Kaiser von Atlantis stands as a hauntingly relevant piece of history, bridging past and present through its stirring music and poignant message.

Special thanks to our series sponsor, the Brown-Forman Foundation

With significant support from
Paul & Viki Diaz
Dr. Karen Abrams & Dr. Jeffrey Glazer
Carlyn and Bill Altman
Nana Lampton
Jane Welch