Danton’s Death

opera by Einem

Also known as: “Dantons Tod”

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June 25, 2026

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Danton's Death is an opera by Austrian composer Gottfried von Einem, first produced in 1947. The opera's libretto, by Boris Blacher, is based on the play of the same name by Georg Büchner.1

The opera draws its subject from the life of Georges Danton, a prominent figure in the French Revolution. Danton was instrumental in the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the First French Republic. However, his increasing moderation and opposition to the Reign of Terror led to his own execution by guillotine in 1794. Einem's operas, including Danton's Death, are known for reflecting the darkness of their source material.21

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Gottfried von Einem
…first opera, Dantons Tod (Danton’s Death), with a text by Blacher based on Georg Büchner’s play, was produced in 1947 at the Salzburg Festival. The opera Der Prozess (The Trial), a work inspired by Einem’s 1938 arrest and by Franz Kafka’s novel, was first performed in 1953. Einem composed…
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…first opera, Dantons Tod (Danton’s Death), with a text by Blacher based on Georg Büchner’s play, was produced in 1947 at the Salzburg Festival. The opera Der Prozess (The Trial), a work inspired by Einem’s 1938 arrest and by Franz Kafka’s novel, was first performed in 1953. Einem composed…
Read More