Alma: Ella Milch-Sheriff’s new opera based on the life of Alma Mahler premieres at the Volksoper in Vienna

Alma Mahler remains a fascinating figure. Musically active as a composer, albeit for a relatively short time, her life has been rather overshadowed by her relationships. She married the composer Gustav Mahler, the architect Walter Gropius, and the author Franz Werfel, whilst her affairs included the painter Gustav Klimt, the composer Alexander von Zemlinsky and the painter Oskar Kokoschka. The death of daughter Manon Gropius partly inspired Alban Berg’s Violin Concerto. 

Since her death in 1964, her life has inspired a wide variety of art and music. Britten dedicated his Nocturne, Op. 60 to her. American satirist Tom Lehrer described her obituary as “the juiciest, spiciest, raciest obituary it has ever been my pleasure to read” and he wrote his song, Alma about her [see YouTube]. Stephen McNeff and Aoife Mannix’ opera Beyond the Garden was inspired by Alma Mahler’s relationship with her daughter. The opera was commissioned by Slovenian Chamber Music Theatre and premiered by them in Slovenia in 2019, and received its UK in 2022 [see Stephen’s article about the opera]

Now, Alma Mahler’s life has inspired another composer. Israeli composer Ella Milch-Sheriff’s five-act opera, Alma, with a libretto by Ido Ricklin, receives its premiere at the Vienna Volksoper on 26 October 2024. Directed by Ruth Brauer-Kvam and conducted by Omer Meir Wellber, the work asks the question, what happens when a woman is forced to give up her potential as a composer? A portrait opera, the piece focuses on Alma as a mother, with Alma being played by soprano Annette Dasch.

Full details from the Volksoper website.