In partnership with The Lahr von Leïtis Academy and Archive under the auspices of Elysium Between Two Continents, soprano Melissa Primavera premiered Healing a Fractured World: A portrait of exiled composer Egon Lustgarten at PianoForte studios in Chicago this past October. Egon Lustgarten (1887-1961), an Austrian composer of Jewish descent, was forced to emigrate to the United States after Hitler’s annexation of Austria. Healing a Fractured World chronicled the composer’s story of resolve to continue creating his music in the face of impossibly difficult circumstances.
The cast of the Chicago premiere of Healing a Fractured World from left Michael Lahr, Fred Wellisch, Sarah Jenks, Melissa Primavera, Suzanne Hannau and Carl Ratner
January 27th is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and this year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. As first-hand Holocaust survivors continue to age, educating today’s generation becomes even more critical in keeping their stories alive. The mission of The Lahr von Leïtis Academy and Archive is to expose younger generations to exiled art and to help them create a future that incorporates lessons learned from history. The Archive has curated and preserved Lustgarten’s musical manuscripts and correspondence which would otherwise remain in the shadows. They aim to bring these musical masterpieces to light so that contemporary audiences in the U.S. and in Europe can experience their beauty while also gaining an understanding of their significant historical context.
Intolerance and antisemitism cultivated the conditions that led to Lustgarten’s exile. Given the current geopolitical climate, antisemitism and other forms of hatred are on the rise. By educating audiences on the impacts the Nazi regime had on individuals such as Lustgarten and the criticality of combating hatred and antisemitism in all its forms, Healing a Fractured World promotes understanding through art.
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The immersive experience began with a brief overview of Lustgarten’s life and the political circumstances that led to his exile by Artistic Director of Elysium Between Two Continents, Michael Lahr. Musical selections included works for piano, Lieder and opera performed by soprano Melissa Primavera, pianist Sarah Jenks, baritone Carl Ratner, and flutist Suzanne Hannau. Narration by actor Fred Wellisch of diary entries and letters to Lustgarten’s loved ones and colleagues were interspersed with the music while images of importance to the composer’s story and supertitles were displayed. These media combined created a portrait of Lustgarten as an artist, an emigrant, and a human.
As Michael Lahr pointed out in his introduction, “Lustgarten’s success was cut short when he had to flee his native Austria and seek refuge in the United States. In exile under the most challenging conditions, he remained extremely creative, leaving behind a large body of work including five operas. When he died in 1961, Lustgarten and his works fell into oblivion until the moment his daughter Eleanor Paul learned about Elysium and eventually entrusted us with her father’s legacy. Since then, we have been working diligently to establish Lustgarten’s name in the music world more than 60 years after his death. The Chicago premiere of Healing a Fractured World is one step towards that goal but much more still needs to be done. Of utmost importance is sharing Lustgarten’s music wherever possible and to eventually produce his beautiful and highly topical fairy tale operas.”
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Pianist Sarah Jenks and soprano Melissa Primavera perform Lustgarten’s Liebliche Harfen lasset erklingen
Melissa Primavera hopes sharing Lustgarten’s story will prompt reflection on the stories of other exiled individuals, saying “While there are thousands of asylum seekers currently in Chicago and across the US, they are each individuals making impossible sacrifices. In telling Lustgarten’s story we hope to foster a sense of humanity while putting a face and a name to an individual emigrant.”
Lustgarten spent his entire life trying to share his music with the world. Healing A Fractured World honors his legacy by sharing his incredible musical gifts and inspiring story of resilience with the current generation and those to come.
If you are interested in having Healing A Fractured World: A portrait of Egon Lustgarten presented at your organization, please contact Michael Lahr, ml@lahrvonleitisacademy.eu. Visit Elysium Between Two Continents on YouTube @elysiumbtc2110 to see a preview.
