Organization

Stage director

PJ Harris

Set designer

Anna Yates

Chorus master

Nicholas Shaw

Lighting designer

Emma Jones

Costume designer

Kate Egan

Choreographer

Jim Manganello

Vocal coach

Marie Claire Breen

Accompanist

Sarah Elisabeth Jones

Accordionist

Miloš Milojević

Conductor

Singer

Child vocalist

Hazel Read

Pepíček

Amy Watts

Jamie W Hall

Townspeople

Opera North Youth Company

Brundibár -  (Brundibar)

Gateshead

United Kingdom

Sage Gateshead

Leeds

Howard Assembly Room

Brundibár Krása

Public

Brundibar

Approved

Footage from the end of Hans Krása's opera for children, Brundibár, as performed at the Terezín transit camp in 1943.

The opera was originally written by Hans Krása (libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister) in 1938 as an entry for a children’s opera competition sponsored by the Czechoslovak Ministry of Education. Before a winner could be announced, the country was occupied by Nazi Germany. However, rehearsals for the opera began in July 1939 at the Jewish-Zionist orphanage, Hagibor near Prague. Before he could hear the work performed, Krása was arrested and eventually deported to Theresienstadt (Terezin in Czech).

In July 1943, the score of Brundibár was smuggled into the camp by Rudi Freudenfeld. A new orchestral arrangement was written by Krása reflecting the instruments available in the camp: flute/piccolo, clarinet, trumpet, guitar, side drum and bass drum, piano, four violins, cello, double bass and accordion.

Altogether, the Terezin version of the opera was performed fifty-five times. The last performance, put on for the camp’s inspection by the International Red Cross, was in September 1944. For this, the production was moved to the large Sokol Hall outside the camp. Stage Designer, František Zelenka was given everything he needed to improve the set and costumes. The final scene was captured for the Nazi propaganda film “Theresienstadt – eine Dokumentarfilm aus den jüdische Siedlungsgebiet”.

English

Brundibar by Krása, From (2022/2022), Directed by PJ Harris,, Conductor Nicholas Shaw, Howard Assembly Room, Leeds, United Kingdom

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Program, About & Synopsis

Videos

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues