Bortkiewicz's opera The Acrobats

[Christopher]

I know there are a few other Bortkiewicz strings on here, but this one is in specific relation to his opera The Acrobats.  It is believed to be lost, but I want to know if any serious sustained searches have been made for it, or if it was just presumed lost following the chaos and wreckage of World War Two.  What do other people know?

[Christopher]

A pianist called Anna Reznik, who is a PhD student at the Moscow Conservatory, wrote a 240-page thesis on Bortkiewicz in 2017.  In it she names the running order of The Acrobats.  I wrote to her to ask if this meant she had seen a score.  Sadly, she hadn't, and she didn't illuminate on how she knew the running order. She also confirms in her thesis that excerpts from the opera were broadcast on Vienna Radio on 3 February 1937 - however she had not found a copy of the recording. 

Act I
1. Orchestral Introduction and Gavotte
2. "Waltz of the flies", quartet and finale
3. Duet of Max and Renee
4. Max's Aria
5. Aria of Rene

Act II
1. Overture of the orchestra
2. Duet of Countess Caselforte and Max
3. Ivan's Serenade with chorus
4. The second duet of the Countess and Max
5. René's exit and final

Act III
1. Ballet music
2. Rene's Aria
3. Ivan's aria
4. Duet of Max and Renee
5. Quartet and trapeze scene
6. Death scene and final



The thesis is entirely in Russian but PM me if you would like a copy.

[dhibbard]

I wonder if anyone has contacted Vienna Radio to see if they still have a copy of the recording.. or could have been a live broadcast?

[Alan Howe]

Perhaps you could undertake this yourself? I'm sure they speak good English.

[dhibbard]

good idea Alan... let me see what I can do.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks. Do report back...