Stockhausen's Instrumental Theater Reimagined in Hamburg

The Hamburg State Opera’s production of Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Michaels Reise adapts the composer’s complex Gesamtkunstwerk (a work of art that makes use of all or many art forms) for a new generation. This chamber version, arranged for trumpet and nine players, emphasizes the spatialization of sound over the massive scale of the original Licht cycle. Historically, Stockhausen’s work required an industrial scale of production that limited its accessibility to all but the largest European houses. This 2018 soloist version maintains the composer's rigorous structural logic while increasing the work's institutional mobility. The production demonstrates that the avant-garde can be preserved through formal adaptation rather than static preservation, ensuring the Michael character's journey remains a viable part of the repertoire for modern houses like Hamburg.