The Image of Christopher Columbus and the Discovery of America in the German Opera in the Third Reich

Abstract

On July 13, 1933, Bavarian Radio broadcast the opera Columbus of the German composer Werner Egk. This opera was the first of three approaches to the Hispanic world of this composer, whose rise in the musical world of his country coincided with the establishment of Nazi Germany. In Columbus, Egk represented the history of Christopher Columbus from his interviews with the Catholic Monarchs until his death in misery, after his deposition of the government of the Spanish colonies in America. The libretto, written by the composer, used the negative stereotypes about Spain that existed in the German imaginary to criticize the colonialism of the time. Ironically, the opera would end up joining the musical culture of Nazi Germany.

Keywords

• werner egk
• tercer reich
• leyenda negra
• colonialismo