Flammen (Schulhoff)

Flammen, meaning "Flames" in German, is an opera by Erwin Schulhoff, composed between 1925 and 1929 and premiered in Brno, Czechoslovakia in 1932. The libretto was written by Karel Josef Beneš. The opera is a surreal, expressionistic work that draws heavily on the Don Juan legend, reinterpreting the character in a more modern, psychologically complex context. It explores themes of desire, death, and the destructive nature of passion, reflecting the turbulent social and political climate of the Weimar Republic. Musically, Flammen is characterized by its eclectic style, incorporating elements of jazz, atonality, and traditional operatic forms. The opera's score is notable for its use of dissonance and complex rhythmic structures, contributing to its overall sense of unease and dramatic intensity. Despite its initial success, Flammen was suppressed by the Nazis due to Schulhoff's Jewish heritage and avant-garde musical style. It has been revived in recent decades and is now recognized as a significant work of 20th-century opera.