SOME IMPRESSIONS
In association with the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, the ACF Washington hosted an evening about the emigration and remigration of Austrian actors and directors as a result of the Austrian Anschluss with Nazi Germany. In line with the topic, there was music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Arnold Schönberg, two world-famous Austrian exile composers, who emigrated to the US at the onset of Nazi rise to power some years earlier. The concert was performed by the award-winning ensemble Karklina Trio and the lecture was held by Professor Evelyn Deutsch-Schreiner from the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. This event is part of our commemoration series 1938 - 2018.
PROGRAM
Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897–1957)
Larghetto from the piano trio op.1
Lecture by Evelyn Deutsch-Schreiner
"My (He)Art in Exile. Austrians in America after 1938 and their Remigration to Austria"
Arnold Schönberg (1874-1951)
"Verklärte Nacht", op.4 (Arranged by Eduard Steuermann)
When: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 | 7:00 pm
Where: Austrian Cultural Forum Washington/Embassy of Austria
3524 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008
Ticket: Free admission, registration obligatory
Parking on International Court is available after 6:30 pm (for the duration of the event) or on 36th Street; access to the Embassy through the park behind the building.
ABOUT THE LECTURE
Prof. Deutsch-Schreiner: “The talk is about the emigration of Austrian actors and directors to the US due to Nazi annexation in 1938 and their post-war remigration to Austria. What I want to stress in my presentation is that Austrian theater professionals had to learn “new lessons” twice and experienced profound alienation twice—first, as emigrants to the USA facing an unfamiliar context of theater and film; and later, as remigrants in Austria, a country in rubble, liberated from National Socialism but infested with National Socialist attitudes. I would like to illustrate that the individuals returning to Austria became important mediators of a democratic mind-set and an enlightened stage culture during the post-war years. For that purpose, I have chosen a few well-known theater professionals, whose life trajectories clearly delineate this dual paradigm shift and its relevance for the politics of art: Max Reinhardt, Helene Thimig, Ernst Lothar and Berthold Viertel.”
ABOUT THE KARKLINA TRIO
Headed by the pianist Maija Karklina the Karklina Trio was founded eight years ago when the three musicians studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. The award-winning trio regularly performs on national and international stages and consists of pianist Maija Karklina, cellist Lana Berakovic and, since 2017, violinist Franz-Markus Siegert.
Lana Berakovic (violoncello) was born in Zagreb, Croatia. At an early age she studied with cellist Valter Despalj, who remained her teacher until 2008. She then continued her studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. Lana attended numerous master classes by Orfeo Mandozzi, Rudolf Leopold, Mario Brunello and Dimitry Ferschtman and won several national and international awards, including the first prize at the Croatian National Violoncello Competition. She performed as a soloist in Austria, Croatia, Italy and Slovenia and as a member of the ensemble Cellomania in Moscow, Vienna, Paris and Amsterdam.
Maija Karklina (piano) is a senior lecturer at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. She was born in Jelgava, Latvia and was taught by pianist Silvija Audre, later continuing her studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz with Otto Niederdorfer and Chia Cho, including many master classes by renowned teachers. Maija won several international competitions including the first prize at the Claudio Arrau Piano Competition in Chile and at the international piano competition Forum per tasti in Slovakia. She performs regularly as a soloist and accompanist in Austria, Latvia and Slovakia and is an active member of various chamber as well as contemporary music ensembles. She also performed as soloist at the Wiener Musikverein with the Ensemble Kontrapunkte.
Franz-Markus Siegert (violin) holds the position of assistant concertmaster of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. He was accepted to the preparation class for highly gifted students of Rudolf Rampf at the Musikhochschule Trossingen and studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna with Christian Altenburger. Guest concertmaster performances include the Bavarian State Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra London and the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. He also became member of the Orchestra Mozart of Bologna. Franz-Markus received various scholarships such as the Advancement Award by the European Cultural Foundation, the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben or the Foundation Gustav Mahler. He made solistic appearances with the Webern Sinfonietta Wien, the State Orchestra Brandenburg and the Collegium Musicum Bankya of Sofia, Bulgaria, among others.
ABOUT EVELYN DEUTSCH-SCHREINER
Evelyn Deutsch-Schreiner is professor of Dramaturgy, History of Theater and Literature at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. Evelyn published on playwrights and theater of the 18th-21st century, new dramaturgies and cultural policy; her latest book discusses dramaturgy from the enlightenment to the present.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY
The University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG), is the oldest art university in Austria and one of the largest within Europe. With over 2300 students from 67 countries, the University established itself as an internationally renowned place of education. Its focus is on contemporary arts and its unique living symbiosis between the arts and science, thus the scientific aspect in education is highly developed and benefits from the vivid practice of music reinforced by deep scientific reflection. A functional and state-of-the-art infrastructure as well as numerous guest lectures, workshops and performance opportunities allow for an efficient study design.
