Jonny spielt auf is an opera in 11 scenes by the German composer Ernst Krenek to his own libretto (text). It was first performed in Leipzig, Germany, on Feb. 10, 1927. The German title means Jonny strikes up or Jonny plays on.
The opera is divided into two parts. The story concerns Jonny (baritone), the black leader of a jazz band. Jonny steals a Stradivarius violin from a fellow musician, Daniello (baritone), and becomes a huge success with it. He puts on a performance at the North Pole that has the whole world dancing the Charleston, the big dance craze of the 1920’s. The opera, which makes use of jazz, also charts Jonny’s emotional entanglements.
See also Opera (The search for new forms) .
