Forgotten Opera Resurfaces After 100 Years

The opera Chronoplan, composed by Julia Kerr in the late 1920s, has received its world premiere almost a century after its creation. The score was taken by Kerr when she fled Nazi Germany in 1933, halting its planned debut. Descendants recently gathered at Einstein's former summer house in Caputh, the opera's setting, to celebrate Kerr's work.

Her compositions, found miscataloged in archives, were performed by Ruth Rosenfeld and Norbert Biermann. Kerr, a gifted musician, had her career cut short by her family's escape from persecution. She and her husband, Alfred, a prominent theatre critic, were part of intellectual circles that included Albert Einstein.

Christian Leitmeir discovered Kerr's scores after reading her daughter Judith Kerr's novel. Sonja Westerbeck rediscovered Chronoplan, which premiered this year. The rediscovery highlights a growing interest in forgotten female composers.

Kerr's great-grandson expressed inspiration at her talent, noting she put composing aside to support her family. She later worked as an interpreter, notably at the Nuremberg Trials and for John F. Kennedy. In 1952, Chronoplan was recorded by Bavarian Broadcasting, marking its radio premiere.