About the work
Der ferne Klang is an opera in three acts by Franz Schreker to his own libretto. Schreker began writing the text as early as 1901 and composed the music until 1910; the premiere took place on 18 August 1912 at Oper Frankfurt and made him famous overnight.
Plot
The composer Fritz leaves his beloved Grete to search for the mysterious "distant sound" his music still lacks. Grete descends into the demi-monde, and years later Fritz meets her again at the premiere of his own opera, at first rejecting her. Only as he lies dying in Grete's arms does he finally hear the distant sound he had sought.
Cultural significance
With its impressionistic, shimmering harmonies and shifting colours, Der ferne Klang established Schreker's reputation as an operatic innovator. Nearly forgotten after 1945, the work did not return to its birthplace, Frankfurt, until 2019.