Vienna is currently revisiting the life and work of Alexander Zemlinsky, a pivotal figure of the Viennese Modernist movement, with a novel theatrical production at the Theater in der Josefstadt. Premiering on March 19, 2026, Felix Mitterer’s play, “Zemlinsky,” attempts to capture the composer’s complex journey – a life marked by both artistic ambition and the shadows of a turbulent era. The production arrives as the world marks the 150th anniversary of Zemlinsky’s birth, a belated recognition for a composer who, for much of the 20th century, remained largely overlooked.
The play’s final scene is particularly poignant, with the character of Zemlinsky, on his deathbed, requesting his ashes be returned to Vienna. As the curtain falls, his widow symbolically presents an urn to the audience, a gesture intended to finally secure Zemlinsky’s place in the heart of the city he both loved and was, at times, estranged from. Zemlinsky’s story is one of near-misses and obscured brilliance; he wasn’t unsuccessful, but consistently lived in the shadows of more celebrated contemporaries. He managed to escape Austria in 1938, fleeing the rising tide of Nazism, but found himself largely forgotten in exile, dying, as one critic noted, with a literally broken heart.
A Fragmented Portrait of a Composer
Mitterer’s approach, however, has drawn some criticism. While tackling the complex situation of Jewish artists in interwar Vienna – a subject clearly close to the author’s heart – the play reportedly struggles to keep Zemlinsky himself at the center of the narrative. According to a review in Der Standard, the production feels “wooden and bloodless,” attempting to cram too much historical context into the story, ultimately diminishing Zemlinsky’s presence. The production attempts to weave together musical performances, scenes from Zemlinsky’s life, and passages from Oscar Wilde’s “The Birthday of the Infanta,” creating what director Stephanie Mohr calls a kind of “program symphony.”
The stage itself is transformed into an orchestral platform, with instruments – piano, drums, double bass, accordion – arranged alongside everyday objects like armchairs, an aquarium, a home bar, and an ironing board. Actors move between these scenes, often performing Zemlinsky’s music live, accompanied by pre-recorded tracks. Three of the performers – Melanie Hackl, Susa Meyer, and Kimberly Rydell – are trained singers, and their renditions of Zemlinsky’s songs are highlighted as a particularly strong element of the production, offering a direct connection to the composer’s emotional world.
Scandal, Conversion, and Unrequited Love
The play touches on key moments in Zemlinsky’s life, including his friendship with Arnold Schönberg, whose sister, Mathilde, Zemlinsky married. All three, the production notes, converted to Christianity for career advancement, a decision that ultimately failed to protect them from persecution. The production also depicts the atmosphere of artistic ferment and scandal surrounding the infamous “Watschenkonzert” of 1913, where works by Schönberg, Webern, and Zemlinsky were met with disruptive protests. Notably, Zemlinsky’s music, remaining within the bounds of tonality, was not the target of the uproar.
A central thread of the play is Zemlinsky’s unhappy infatuation with Alma Schindler, who famously described him in her diaries as an “ugly dwarf” and a “caricature.” He was her first “Jewish genius,” as she termed him, before she ultimately chose and married Gustav Mahler. This painful experience later informed Zemlinsky’s opera, “Der Zwerg.” He later married one of his own students, but the shadow of Schindler looms large in the dramatization. Mitterer, however, reportedly veers into tangential scandals that don’t directly involve Zemlinsky, leading to moments where characters question why these stories are being told at all.
A Troubled Legacy, A Late Recognition
The production doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of Zemlinsky’s story, including a scene referencing the suicide of painter Richard Gerstl after discovering his wife’s affair with Schönberg. Gerstl’s ghost appears onstage, a symbolic representation of artistic excess and despair. The staging, with Gerstl appearing naked save for blood-stained underwear, is described as visually striking, even bordering on the grotesque. Günter Franzmeier and Martin Vischer portray Zemlinsky at different stages of his life, each offering a sympathetic portrayal of a man who faced numerous obstacles. Ulli Maier embodies Alma Schindler as a complex figure, blending charm, calculation, and cruelty.
While the play’s fragmented structure and occasional lapses into melodrama have been noted, the musical elements remain a highlight. The production offers a chance to experience Zemlinsky’s compositions, which, after decades of neglect, are now enjoying a resurgence in popularity. As Wikipedia notes, Zemlinsky’s orchestral fantasy, “Die Seejungfrau” (The Mermaid), based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, is a prime example of his evocative and emotionally resonant style.
“Zemlinsky” runs at the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna through an unspecified date. The production serves as a reminder of a composer whose talent deserves wider recognition, and a poignant reflection on the fate of Jewish artists in a period of increasing political and social upheaval. The next step in Zemlinsky’s renewed recognition will likely be further performances of his works and continued scholarly attention to his life and legacy.
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