Brundibar by Krása, Dv. 25 Gen. 2013, De (2013/2013), Dirigit per Cesare Scarton, Director musical José Maria Sciutto, Teatro Nazionale, Rome, Italy

On 23 September 1943, the first performance of the children's opera Brundibár took place in the fortress of Theresienstadt (in Czech Terežín), 60 km from Prague, where Jews of a certain notoriety were concentrated from 1942 onwards. Although in Terežín the living conditions of the camp were in all similar to those of the other concentration camps, the Nazi authorities had organized it in such a way as to deceive international public opinion: the Jews themselves were in fact able to promote a series of initiatives cultural heritage within the Organization of Leisure, managed by artists and fully recognized, after a period of semi-official status, in March 1943. The presence of a large number of composers, instrumentalists and singers made it possible to carry out numerous musical events, works from the great repertoire and works by deported composers were set up. The most successful staging was that of Brundibár (“The Strummer”), a children's opera composed by the Czech musician Hans Krása, deported to Terežín and charged with directing the Music Section of the Leisure Organization. From the first performance the opera was staged fifty-five times, up to the last performance in June 1944 on the occasion of the inspection by the International Red Cross, after which the protagonists were transferred to Auschwitz. On October 18 of that year, Krása was killed in a gas chamber. Brundibár should be read as a clear denunciation of the situation of the time. The little fable is actually an ethical manifesto that invites us to trust in the good that cannot fail to triumph over evil, embodied here by Brundibár, an arrogant and arrogant accordion player, behind whom the shadow of the dictator seems to stand out. The ideals of solidarity and civil coexistence also allow those who are weak and defenseless to reaffirm the voice of truth and justice. In this way the tenuous fable is transformed into victory against tyranny thanks to a collective awakening. And it was undoubtedly this message that gave the martyrs of Terežín hope for the future and the strength to maintain dignity and respect for themselves.