Did you know the Highlights Gallery features a drawing from Maurice Sendak’s book Brundibar?
An adaptation of the story was recently revived for the stage and will be performed in New York City beginning in late April at the New Victory Theater. For the book and the new production of the opera, Sendak has teamed up with award-winning playwright Tony Kushner (Angels in America) to tell the story of a brother and sister who are trying to get their hands on some milk for their mother. Brundibar is a children’s opera with music written by Hans Krasa (a Czech Jew) and a libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister. It was first performed in the Theresienstadt concentration camp by children, many of whom would later be killed–as was Krasa. While the story ends happily, it cannot be separated from its awful historical context–a juxtaposition that Sendak and Kushner’s book captures all too well .
The Rosenbach has purchased tickets for some shows in May–stay tuned for details.
Further information about New York performances can be found on the Victory Theatre website
http://www.newvictory.org/show.m?showID=10047
Additional information about the original opera can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brundibar