"Der große Reiz des Kamera-Mediums" : Ernst Kreneks Fernsehoper Ausgerechnet und verspielt

History of the television opera started, when the television set became a status symbol. Especially in the 1960s and 1970s a strong interest for television opera aroused among the composers. One of them was Ernst Krenek, who had published the first article about the theoretical aspects of the genre one year before the first television opera was broadcoasted (Gian Carlo Menottis Amahl and the Night Visitors (NBC, 1951)). A few years later Krenek was requested to compose Ausgerechnet und verspielt (1961), commissioned by the ORF.
Based on this opera the author mainly analyses two groups of themes: Firstly, the composition process and the production of a television opera in general. Due to the commission of the ORF, the history of the Austrian television opera is explored more detailed for the first time.
Secondly, the analysis of Ausgerechnet und verspielt includes reviewing central aspects of Krenek’s work: It is possible to trace his differentiated discussion of audiovisual media or the influence of sciences, philosophy and technique on his composition process. Furthermore, analyzing the television opera shows Krenek’s relation to total serialism, as he reflected upon the musical technique in the libretto and operated with the organization of musical elements.