Representations of the Degenerate Condition from Source to Stage: Disability and Morality in Franz Schreker's Die Gezeichneten

This article critically examines the colliding narratives of disability and degeneracy in Franz Schreker's Die Gezeichneten, and their reimagining and reinterpretation in Calixto Bieito's 2018 production at the Komische Oper Berlin. The treatment and fate of the physically disabled protago...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Contemporary theatre review 2019-10, Vol.29 (4), p.384-404
Main Author: Armstrong, Charlotte
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aesthetics
Disability
Morality
Schreker, Franz (1878-1934)
Theater
Theater criticism
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Summary:This article critically examines the colliding narratives of disability and degeneracy in Franz Schreker's Die Gezeichneten, and their reimagining and reinterpretation in Calixto Bieito's 2018 production at the Komische Oper Berlin. The treatment and fate of the physically disabled protagonist, Alviano, in the opera's narrative can be perceived as a vehicle for sociocultural commentary regarding the aesthetic ideals of health and beauty, as well as serving as an allegory for Schreker's own reception in light of the cultural anxiety of degeneracy. I argue that Bieito's production saw the amplification of the work's aspects of cultural critique to create a disconcertingly modern drama of child sexual abuse. Drawing upon the insights of disability studies, this paper will illustrate the way in which, in this production, the protagonist's paedophilic desires align him with certain archetypes of disability representation. Conversely, the presentation of Alviano as physically/visibly non-disabled will be unpicked in order to demonstrate that, whilst the physical component of his disability is excluded, its figurative significance is emphasised almost beyond recognition. The subsequent analysis of the noblemen and their activities on Elysium provides valuable insights into the ways in which Bieito's production upholds the aspects of Schreker's original that constitute a form of cultural commentary by updating the composer's allusion to a 'degenerate' society for a contemporary audience.
ISSN:1048-6801
1477-2264
DOI:10.1080/10486801.2019.1657103