''Abraxas'' is a

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

in five scenes with both music and a

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

Werner Egk Werner Egk (, 17 May 1901 – 10 July 1983), born Werner Joseph Mayer, was a German composer. Early career He was born in the Swabian town of Auchsesheim, today part of Donauwörth, Germany. His family, of Catholic peasant stock, moved to Augsb ...

that is based on the

Faust Faust ( , ) is the protagonist of a classic German folklore, German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust (). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a deal with the Devil at a ...

legend. The original 1948 choreography for the ballet was created by Marcel Luipart, but elicited controversy and was banned after five performances by state censors. A subsequent version by choreographer Janine Charrat became a standard part of the German dance repertory, and the work also was choreographed successfully by Tom Schilling.

History

''Abraxas'' was premiered by the

Bavarian State Opera The Bavarian State Opera () is a German opera company based in Munich. Its main venue is the Nationaltheater München, and its orchestra the Bavarian State Orchestra. History The parent ensemble of the company was founded in 1653, under El ...

at the

Prinzregententheater The Prinzregententheater, or, as it was called in its first decades, the Prinz-Regenten-Theater, in English the Prince Regent Theatre, is a concert hall and opera house on Prinzregentenplatz in the Bavarian capital of Munich, Germany. Building ...

in Munich, Germany on 6 June 1948 in a production using designs by Wolfgang Znamenacek. The ballet was controversial at its premiere due to its subject matter which some criticized as "obscene" and others as "demonic". It was banned by state censors after just five performances. However, the ballet was later re-choreographed by French dancer Janine Charrat in 1949, and her version of the ballet became a standard work in the German dance repertory. A third version by the choreographer Tom Schilling premiered at the

Semperoper The Semperoper () is the opera house of the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden (Saxon State Opera) and the concert hall of the Staatskapelle Dresden (Saxon State Orchestra). It is also home to the Semperoper Ballett. The building is located on the Th ...

in 1957 and was later staged a second time to positive reviews at the

Komische Oper Berlin The Komische Oper Berlin is a German opera company based in Berlin. The company produces operas, operettas and musicals. The opera house is located on Behrenstraße, near Unter den Linden. Since 2004, the Komische Oper Berlin, along with the Be ...

. The plot of the ''Abraxas'' was taken from

Heinrich Heine Christian Johann Heinrich Heine (; ; born Harry Heine; 13 December 1797 – 17 February 1856) was an outstanding poet, writer, and literary criticism, literary critic of 19th-century German Romanticism. He is best known outside Germany for his ...

's '' Der Doctor Faust''; an opera libretto he wrote for the impresario

Benjamin Lumley Benjamin Lumley (1811 – 17 March 1875 in London) was a British North America-born British people, British opera manager and solicitor. Born Benjamin Levy, he was the son of a Jewish merchant, Louis Levy. Beginnings at His Majesty's Theatre Lu ...

but which ultimately never made it to the stage. Heine's story is based on the

legend, and was notable for changing the

Mephistopheles Mephistopheles ( , ), also known as Mephostophilis or Mephisto, is a demon featured in German folklore, originating as the chief devil in the Faust legend. He has since become a stock character appearing in Mephistopheles in the arts and popular ...

character from a male role into a female one. In the ballet the female devil convinces Faust to sell his soul in exchange for sexual fulfillment and restoration of youth. However, after meeting the woman Marguerite, Faust falls in love and tears up his contract with the devil which ultimately leads to both his and Marguerite's death.

References

{{reflist 1948 ballets Works based on the Faust legend