FOUR JEWS ON PARNASSUS—A CONVERSATION

By Carl Djerassi

Performance Schedule

2006

Aug. 5: Salzburg: Dramatic reading (in German) of “Klee Scene” at exhibition opening (11:00AM) of ”Four Jews on Parnassus through the eyes of Paul Klee and Gabriele Seethaler’s Klee variations” at Galerie Heike Curtze, Wiener-Philharmoniker-Gasse 2:

WALTER BENJAMIN Carl Djerassi

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Helga Rabl-Stadler

THEODOR ADORNO Wolfgang Unterzaucher

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Bernd Jeschek

Oct. 22: Berlin: Walter Benjamin Festival. Scenic reading (11:00 – 13:00) from “FOUR JEWS ON PARNASSUS—a play in progress“ directed by Isabella Gregor in Einstein Saal of Brandenburger Akademie der Wissenschaften (Jägerstrasse 21/23):

WALTER BENJAMIN Carl Djerassi

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Max Hoffmann

THEODOR ADORNO Martin Molitor

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Thomas Wehling

DORA SOPHIE BENJAMIN Isabella Gregor

ESCHA SCHOLEM Isabella Gregor

GRETEL KARPLUS ADORNO Isabella Gregor

2007

Jan. 26: Madison, WI: Univ. of Wisconsin Theatre Department dramatic reading (5:30PM: Margaret H'Doubler Performance Space, Lathrop Hall) of excerpts from “FOUR JEWS ON PARNASSUS” directed by Norma Saldivar (asst. director, Talish Barrow).

WALTER BENJAMIN Jesse Michael Mothershed

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Josh Krevsky

THEODOR ADORNO Steve Wojtas

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Andy Rice

DORA SOPHIE BENJAMIN Clare Arena Haden

HANNAH ARENDT Clare Arena Haden

June 14: London: Freud Museum (7:00PM): Dramatic reading of “Pornography in the age of technical reproduction” scene from FOUR JEWS ON PARNASSUS.

WALTER BENJAMIN Michael Fenner

THEODOR ADORNO Nick Rankin

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Carl Djerassi

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG John Forrester

HANNAH ARENDT Diane Middlebrook

Sept. 9: Stockholm: Dramatic reading (17:00) of “When is a ‘Jew’ not a Jew?” scene from FOUR JEWS ON PARNASSUS directed by Jurij Lederman at Theatrestudio Lederman followed by panel discussion organized by Jewish Museum.

WALTER BENJAMIN Thérèse Crémieux

THEODOR ADORNO Johan Rabaeus

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Semmy Stalhammer

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Staffan Scheja

Oct. 19: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: Dramatic reading (19:30 – 20:30) in Spanish of “Paul Klee’s Angelus Novus” scene from FOUR JEWS ON PARNASSUS directed by Antonio Navarro at Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderna (Calle Los Balcones 9 y 11, Las Palmas).

Oct. 29: Vienna: Dramatic reading (19:00 – 22:00) under the direction of Isabella Gregor of Vier Juden auf dem Parnass: 4 Männer – 4 Juden – 4 Wahrheiten under CONSIDERATIO (www.consideratio.at) auspices, followed by panel discussion with Eveline Goodman-Thau, Michael Ley, and Karin Stögner. Semper Depot - Atelierhaus der Akademie der bildenden Künste (Lehárgasse 6-8, A-1060 Vienna).

WALTER BENJAMIN Bernd Birkhahn

THEODOR ADORNO Peter Scholz

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Johannes Terne

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Wolfgang Pampel

Nov. 30: Cambridge: Dramatic reading (directed by Oli Rose) by Cambridge University ADA of “Gretel & Theodor Adorno” scene followed by discussion with Martin Jay (Berkeley) and Staci v. Boeckmann (Munich) on related Adorno material from FOUR JEWS ON PARNASSUS under auspices of Cambridge University Centre for Gender Studies at Old Hall, Queens’ College (4:00 pm).

WALTER BENJAMIN Dylan Spencer-Davidson

THEODOR ADORNO Tom Yarrow

GRETEL ADORNO Bea Walker

2008

April 15: Vienna: Arnold Schönberg Center (Palais Fanto, Schwarzenbergpl. 6): Dramatic reading (directed by Isabella Gregor) of Schönberg auf dem Parnass from VIER JUDEN AUF DEM PARNASS-EIN GESPRÄCH.

THEODOR ADORNO Gregor Seberg

WALTER BENJAMIN Johannes Terne

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Hannes Gastinger

MATHILDE SCHÖNBERG Josefin Platt

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Gideon Singer

April 16: Vienna: Advance presentation (20:00 Radiokulturhaus, Argentinierstr. 30) of ORF Radio play of scenes 1 and 2 from VIER JUDEN AUF DEM PARNASS-EIN GESPRÄCH.

April 17: Vienna: Dramatic reading (directed by Isabella Gregor) in Heiligen Kreuzerhof (Schönlaterngasse 5) under auspices of Universität für angewandte Kunst of BENJAMIN’S AKTENTASCHE (Pornography in an age of technical reproduction) from VIER JUDEN AUF DEM PARNASS--EIN GESPRÄCH.

THEODOR ADORNO Toni Slama

WALTER BENJAMIN Johannes Terne

DORA BENJAMIN Josefin Platt

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Hannes Gastinger

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Gideon Singer

HANNAH ARENDT Josefin Platt

April 22: Vienna: ORF Radio 1 Österreich broadcast (20:30) of radio play based on chapter 1 and 2 (“Four wives”) from VIER JUDEN AUF DEM PARNASS--EIN GESPRÄCH directed by Harald Krewer.

WALTER BENJAMIN Jörg Ratjen

THEODOR W. ADORNO Michael Rotschopf

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Toni Slama

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Karl Markovics

MATHILDE SCHÖNBERG-ZEMLINSKY Chris Pichler

GRETEL KARPLUS ADORNO Sabine Haupt

ESCHA SCHOLEM Andrea Clausen

DORA SOPHIE BENJAMIN Maria Happel

ERZÄHLER (Narrator) Carl Djerassi

May 7: Vienna: Dramatic reading (directed by Isabella Gregor) in Prunkraum of Albertina Museum (19:30) of PAUL KLEE UND EIN ENGEL from VIER JUDEN AUF DEM PARNASS-EIN GESPRÄCH in conjunction with opening of Paul Klee Exhibition.

THEODOR ADORNO Johannes Terne

WALTER BENJAMIN Carl Djerassi

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Klaus A. Schröder

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Gideon Singer

Aug. 9: Bayreuth: Dramatic reading (directed by Isabella Gregor) in Kunstmuseum im Alten Rathaus (18:30) with Almut Hellwig (Soprano, Musikhochschule des Saarlands) & Sebastian Voltz (Piano) followed by post-performance discussion in conjunction with Cheesefondue Workshop III.

THEODOR ADORNO Silke Gerstmann

WALTER BENJAMIN Ekkehard Beck

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Heinz Gaube

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Max Herberhold

MATHILDE SCHÖNBERG Almut Hellwig

Nov. 3: Berlin: Neue Nationalgalerie (19:00). Dramatic reading (directed by Isabella Gregor) of excerpts from FOUR JEWS ON PARNASSUS „Paul Klee und ein Engel“ with soprano Almut Hellwig and pianist Rainer Oster. Music by Arnold Schönberg, Claus Steffen Mahnkopf, Erik Weiner, and Egill Ólafsson.

THEODOR ADORNO Helmut Rühl

WALTER BENJAMIN Lutz Blochberger

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Hannes Gastinger

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Leopold von Verschuer

2009

Jan. 31: Vienna: Rebroadcast (13:00 – 14:00) of ORF Radio 1 Österreich April 22, 2008 broadcast of radio play based on chapter 1 and 2 (“Four wives”) from VIER JUDEN AUF DEM PARNASS--EIN GESPRÄCH directed by Harald Krewer.

March 13: Berlin: Austrian Embassy (Stauffenbergstraße 1-4/Tiergartenstraße 12): Dramatic reading (directed by Isabella Gregor) of “Schönberg auf dem Parnass” excerpts from VIER JUDEN AUF DEM PARNASS-EIN GESPRÄCH with soprano Almut Hellwig and pianist Rainer Oster.

THEODOR ADORNO Johannes Terne

WALTER BENJAMIN Lutz Blochberger

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Helmut Rühl

MATHILDE SCHÖNBERG Almut Hellwig

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Felix Römer

June 16: London: Austrian Cultural Forum, 28 Rutland Gate, London SW7 1PQ. Dramatic reading (directed by Isabella Gregor) of “Schönberg on Parnassus” excerpts from FOUR JEWS ON PARNASSUS, with soprano Loré Lixenberg and pianist Oliver Davies.

THEODOR ADORNO Gerald Davidson

WALTER BENJAMIN Carl Djerassi

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Michael Fenner

MATHILDE SCHÖNBERG Loré Lixenberg

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Hywel John

2010

February 6: Stanford: “BENJAMIN, ADORNO, SCHOLEM, SCHÖNBERG: A DISPUTE ABOUT ART, MUSIC, IDENTITY, WIVES, AND PORNOGRAPHY” (directed by Isabella Gregor with soprano Loré Lixenberg) at Piggott Theatre (7:30PM), Stanford University under SICa auspices.

THEODOR ADORNO Ken Sonkin

WALTER BENJAMIN Rush Rehm

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Bill Wolak

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Gerry Hiken

MATHILDE SCHÖNBERG Kay Kostopolous

DORA SOPHIE BENJAMIN Kay Kostopolous

GRETEL ADORNO Kay Kostopolous

February 7: San Francisco: “SCHÖNBERG ON PARNASSUS: SCHÖNBERG'S CHESS, KLEE'S JEWISHNESS, BENJAMIN'S OBSESSION, AND OTHER PUZZLES” (directed by Isabella Gregor with soprano Loré Lixenberg and Gerry Hiken, Kay Kostopolous, Rush Rehm, Ken Sonkin, and Bill Wolak) at Contemporary Jewish Museum (2:00 PM).

2012

January 7: Vienna: ORF Radio 1 Österreich broadcast (14:00) of radio play based on chapter 1 and 2 (“Four wives”) from VIER JUDEN AUF DEM PARNASS--EIN GESPRÄCH directed by Harald Krewer.

WALTER BENJAMIN Jörg Ratjen

THEODOR W. ADORNO Michael Rotschopf

GERSHOM SCHOLEM Toni Slama

ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG Karl Markovics

MATHILDE SCHÖNBERG-ZEMLINSKY Chris Pichler

GRETEL KARPLUS ADORNO Sabine Haupt

ESCHA SCHOLEM Andrea Clausen

DORA SOPHIE BENJAMIN Maria Happel

ERZÄHLER (Narrator) Carl Djerassi