Der Thurm zu Babel (The Tower of Babel)
Anton Rubinstein
1870
Der Thurm zu Babel (The Tower of Babel) is a one-act opera based on the story of the tower of Babel in Genesis. It premiered in Königsberg (today, Kaliningrad) in 1870. Its composer, Anton Rubinstein, described it with a new term he invented, “sacred opera,” which he defined as a work with polyphonic choruses and “spiritual” subject matter.
Credits
New York: G. Schirmer, No. 6, 1883. Plate 2792.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 6.
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Creator Bio
Anton Rubinstein
Among the most renowned pianists of the nineteenth century, Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein was born in Podolia (now in Moldova) and debuted as a prodigy in Moscow at age ten. He went on to tour several important European cities afterward, gathering fame for his performances and compositions and eventually settling in St. Petersburg in 1848. His first opera, Dmitry Donskoy, premiered in 1852, and by the end of the decade, he had attracted the patronage of Yelena Pavlovna, Grand Duchess of Russia. In 1862, under the auspices of the duchess, Rubinstein established the St. Petersburg Conservatory, serving as its director until 1867 and again from 1887 to 1891. Rubinstein’s contribution to music was prolific, including dozens of large-scale compositions alongside his work as an educator and performer.
Related Guide
Music and Opera in Jewish Culture
One of the most striking changes in European Jewish culture toward the later eighteenth century was marked by the entry of Jews into art music, opera houses, and the stage.
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