Tags: Children’s Opera

Brundibár

Brundibár is a children's opera by Jewish Czech composer Hans Krása with a libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister, made most famous by performances by the children of Theresienstadt concentration camp in occupied Czechoslovakia. The name comes from a Czech colloquialism for a bumblebee. The plot of the opera shares elements with fairytales such as Hansel and Gretel and The Town Musicians of Bremen and details how children overcome an evil organ grinder.

Die Kinder der toten Stadt – Musikdrama gegen das Vergessen

„Die Kinder der toten Stadt“ (Children of the Dead City) tells of the fate of the children imprisoned in Theresienstadt. The plot is based on historical facts: a delegation of the International Red Cross visited the ghetto in June 1944 to convince itself that "the inhabitants were doing well". The SS staged a perfect illusion to deceive the visitors. Among other things, the captured girls and boys were forced to perform a children's opera. Shortly afterwards, almost everyone who took part in this performance was murdered. This musical drama is dedicated to them.