A child prodigy born in 1897 on Koliště in Brno, a musical genius celebrated in Vienna, and later one of the founding figures of Hollywood film music. From an early age, Erich Wolfgang Korngold astonished Gustav Mahler and other leading figures of his time with his extraordinary talent. At the age of twenty-three, he achieved international success with his opera The Dead City. Following the rise of Nazism, his Jewish origins led him to seek refuge in the United States, where his rich symphonic language had a profound influence on the development of film music. He received two Academy Awards for Anthony Adverse and The Adventures of Robin Hood.
In 2027, we will commemorate the 130th anniversary of Korngold’s birth and the 70th anniversary of his death. Musicologist and Director of the Brno Philharmonic Marie Kučerová will trace his remarkable journey from Brno through Vienna to Hollywood and introduce his operatic, concert, and film music through commentary and selected recordings.
