Organization

Australian Contemporary Opera Co

English

The Secret Kingdom

The Secret Kingdom: Das Geheime Königreich Krenek

Public

Approved

Accordionist

Instrumentalist

Archlutenist

Baroque Flutist

Baroque Oboist

Baroque Trumpetist

Bassist

Bassoonist

Cellist

Clarinetist

Contrabassist

Cornettist

Flutist

Guitarist

Harper

Harpsichordist

Hornist

Lutenist

Mandoline Player

Musette de cour Player

Oboist

Organist

Percussionist

Pianist

Recorder Player

Saxophonist

Tenor Violinist

Theorbist

Timpani

Trombonist

Trumpeter

Tuba Player

Vibraphonist

Viola Pomposa Player

Viola da gamba

Viola d’amore Player

Violinist

Violino Piccolo Player

Violist

Actor

Broadcasting

Choir

Choreographer

Chorus Director

Chorus master

Composer

Conductor

Costume designer

Dancer

Dramaturge

Executive producer

Extra

Hairstylist

Illustrator

Librettist

Lighting designer

Makeup artist

Orchestra

Orchestra Operations

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Photographer

Poet

Repetiteur

Set designer

Sound designer

Stage Manager

Stage director

Teacher

Translator

Video designer

Vocal coach

Wig & Makeup Designer

Writer

Writing and performance

Tenor

Singer

Countertenor

Bass-baritone

Mezzo-soprano

Contralto

Bass

Soprano

Baritone

Alto

Child vocalist

Continuo

Silent

Spoken

THE SECRET KINGDOM apotheosizes the simple life, submission to Nature, joy in little things, and the renunciation of ambition, fame, and glory. The composer wanted to say ‘no’ to modern civilization, which, he felt, consisted of dehumanized haste, degrading commercialization, and hopeless universal corruption.


The plot is an elaborate fairy-tale involving a kingdom in revolt, a monarch of Hamlet-like despondency who would like nothing better than to abdicate, and a queen who seeks to usurp her husband’s throne and establish a new kingdom with the leader of the rebellion.


In the end, all of the characters are thwarted, and a new kingdom, based on a love of nature is magically created in a remote forest.


In his long, diverse, and extraordinarily productive career, Ernst Krenek passed through many compositional styles and aesthetics, from the unbridled atonal Expressionism of his youth to an energetic espousal of indeterminacy in his old age, and was not averse to trying his hand at Tin Pan Alley songs. The music is glorious - awash with a Hollywood soundtrack and jazz club vibes. The story, sadly prescient in 1922, is of a corrupt society and an undervalued environment on the brink of collapse.

The Secret Kingdom by Krenek, From (2022/2022)

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Programme, About & Synopsis

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Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues