Symbolism and parody in Viktor Ullmann's opera The Emperor of Atlantis and Hans Karasa's opera, Brundibar

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Symbolism and parody in Viktor Ullmann’s opera The Emperor of Atlantis and Hans Karasa’s opera, Brundibar
Introduction
The Terezin concentration camp also known as the Theresienstadt concentration camp was a German ghetto that was used to concentrate Jews from countries such as Austria, Denmark, Czechoslovakia and Netherlands. It was built by Emperor Josef II as a fortress but was converted to a prison by the German leader Hitler during the Nazi period of WWII (Kramer, & Lishinsky, 33). Many of the Jews died there and because of the deplorable conditions and lack of resources at the camp due to including overpopulation. Many artists, writers and enemies of the authorities were sent there ensure they could not enlighten the public about the civilized world. It was mainly used as a transit camp for the Jews to be killed in other areas (Kramer, & Lishinsky, 41). It is here that such work as “The Emperor of Atlantis” and “Brundibar” were created. This paper critically analyses the Symbolism and parody in Viktor Ullmann’s opera The Emperor of Atlantis and Hans Karasa’s opera, Brundibar.
Viktor Ullmann’s opera “The Emperor of Atlantis”
Also known in German as the Der Kaiser von Atlantis (The Emperor of Atlantis), or oder Die Tod-Verweigerung (Death's Abdicates) the opera became renowned in Nazi as a legend that had four scenes. It was an opera done by Viktor Ullmann and Petr Kien who collaborated to deliver a masterpiece. It was about the political intrigues and activities of the World War II and acted to deliver messages of life and death (Kramer, & Lishinsky, 41). The four scene opera requires seven singers accompanied by thirteen –piece chamber orchestra. The characters developed in the opera are the Emperor Uberall, The loud speaker, Death, harlequin, Soldier, the Lady Soldier and the Drummer.
The loudspeaker is first in the scene to introduce the characters and sets the scene for the play to start; harlequin starts with the lamentations of a lonely and difficult life where they live in a kingdom that’s has no love or hilarity. It is a kingdom filled with sorrow and anguish and the inhabitants are willing to sell themselves away to any willing buyer. The author states “In this poor world, what choice is there but to sell our soul at the village fair? Are there any takers? We all want to get rid of ourselfs. We'll all go to where the four winds drive us” (Ullmann, 6). Death appears in the scene and comments on the ways days are passing fast and unnoticed in the environment they are living in. Death mocks the idea that it can be the option to end the suffering and bring relief and proclaims that through death there is more suffering which is intense and prolonged; this is parody developed in the opera.
Indeed death laments how the respect he once commanded is now gone for instance how warriors would dress and go in the battlefield to meet. In the opera the mot...