Henze: The Draught of Medusa

Théodore Géricault's monumental painting "The Raft of the Medusa" has repeatedly inspired artists to artistically process the tragedy underlying the picture. So too Hans Werner Henze and his librettist Ernst Schnabel. Sharp sounds, biting irony, onomatopoeia, i.e., sound and tone painting, and a gripping dramaturgy characterize the work, which rose into the ranks of the great classical scandal works through a riot at the failed premiere. Cornelius Meister brought the "Oratorio volgare e militare in due parti" to the stage of the Vienna Konzerthaus in November 2017 with the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna. This recording now appears as an album on the Capriccio label.