The New Music Theater: Seeing the Voice, Hearing the Body

(Oxford University Press) The authors explore the evolution of the still-emerging art form, new music theater, an alternative performance art that dates back to the 1912 premiere of Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire. They provide examples of the works themselves and analysis of the concepts, ideas, and trends that have influenced the art form. Salzman and Desi also examine how theater works in culture, and how music works in theater. A composer, director, producer, dramaturg, and performer, Salzman is the artistic director of the Center for Contemporary Opera in New York City. Desi is an Austrian composer, director, and writer.