1934: The Premiere of Ernst Krenek’s Karl V Opera is Cancelled

Ernst Krenek’s opera, Karl V, commissioned by State Opera Director Clemens Krauss, was to have its premier in February 1934 at the Vienna State Opera. When rehearsals began at the start of December 1933, resistance to this piece was already present: existing reservations that were scattered among orchestra members against the radical tonal language of this first twelve-tone opera mixed together with reservations by Hugo Burghauser, chairman of the board of the State Opera orchestra, who could then further advance his far-reaching agitation against Krauss. At the same time, Josef Rinaldini published articles in the Österreichische Abendzeitung criticising, among other things, Krenek’s presentation of Emperor Charles’ treatment of the denominational division as a provocation for the “Reichsdeutsche” (citizens of the German Reich), and denounced the work as an example of Krauss’ mismanagement. Both Rinaldini and Burghauser used their dense network of contacts to the Heimwehr (Home Guard) and leading politicians of the Dollfuss government to call in the then responsible Ministry of Education under Kurt Schuschnigg.

Clemens Krauss, who initially supported the work enthusiastically but increasingly came under pressure, finally had his own reservations because of the “difficulties” of the musical score; the premier was thus postponed until the following season, then completely cancelled, and only staged half a century later in 1984.