»Die Welt ist für mich ein Pulverfass«

In the organizer's words:

"The world is a powder keg for me"

Georg Kreisler: His life - his songs

Born in Vienna in 1922, the composer, singer and poet Georg Kreisler saw himself as an anarchist from an early age. Due to his Jewish origins, he emigrated with his parents to the United States after the National Socialists came to power in 1938, where the sixteen-year-old initially earned his living as a cabaret artist. During his years in the USA, Kreisler performed as an entertainer in nightclubs and toured the USA performing his own songs written in English. He also worked in Hollywood in the film industry and collaborated with Charlie Chaplin, among others.

Georg Kreisler became an American citizen in 1943. He returned to Europe in 1955 and became known in German-speaking countries primarily for songs such as "Tauben vergiften im Park". Georg Kreisler was a virtuoso master of language as well as mimicry and gestures, who stylistically stood in the tradition of the singing piano humorists of the 1920s, such as Otto Reutter, with whose couplets he excelled at a young age, as well as with chansons by the author-composer Ralph Benatzky.
His songs, which he wrote and composed himself, are characterized by subtle, often black humour and are frequently bitingly critical of society and politics. For a time in the mid-1950s, his songs were not allowed to be broadcast on Austrian radio.

In their tribute to Georg Kreisler, who died in 2011, Anna Haentjens and Sven Selle offer a cross-section of his extensive musical oeuvre with their selection of songs. Anna Haentjens also provides insights into the eventful life of this multi-talented artist.

Songs and texts with Anna Haentjens (vocals, recitation) and Sven Selle (piano)

Price information:

normal: 15 € reduced: 12 €