Amelia Island Opera Concert Series at Story & Song: Des Knaben Wunderhorn

Saturday, November 25, 2023 | 5PM

Sunday, November 26, 2023 | 2PM

Story & Song Center for Arts & Culture | 1430 Park Ave, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

In 2023, Amelia Island Opera and Story & Song Center for Arts & Culture strengthened their relationship with the launch of a new annual concert series: Amelia Island Opera Concert Series at Story & Song. This series, generously sponsored in part by Paul Bosland, featured versatile and intimate concerts in Story & Song's Art Gallery, showcasing a mix of opera, musical theatre, art song, chamber music, and more. Perfect for patrons who appreciate variety!

 

The concert series kicked off with AIO co-founders Victoria Isernia and John Tibbetts presenting Des Knaben Wunderhorn, a collection of 12 songs composed by Austrian composer Gustav Mahler, presented with voice and piano. Before the Brothers Grimm published their famous Grimms' Fairy Tales, there was another ambitious project, "Des Knaben Wunderhorn" (1805–08). This three-volume compilation of folk songs, poems, and aphorisms was created by writers Clemens Brentano and Achim von Arnim as a tribute to German culture. Mahler based the text of his song cycle on these poems.

 

Mahler later incorporated melodies from this collection into his orchestral works, notably his second, third, and fourth symphonies. The collection features a blend of wistful romances and heart-rending recollections. St. Anthony's fervent preaching to unresponsive fish contrasts with an avian singing competition judged by a donkey, concealing a satirical commentary on musical preferences. The cycle includes numerous martial references, delving into the challenging lives and grim fates of soldiers. 

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