Der Schleier der Pierrette: Pantomime in drei Bildern

A silent drama set in the intimate rooms of turn‑of‑the‑century Vienna, this three‑scene pantomime blends gentle melancholy with burst of comic energy, all underscored by Ernst von Dohnányi’s evocative piano score. The cast gathers around the solitary figure of Pierrot, a poet‑clown whose modest chamber is filled with scattered letters, wilted flowers and a painted portrait of his beloved Pierrette. Through precise gesture and music, listeners are drawn into the fragile world of a man caught between longing and routine.

The opening scene finds Pierrot sunk in sorrow, pacing, clutching the portrait, then collapsing onto a divan as dusk filters through a tall window. His friends—Fred, Florestan, Annette, Alumette and a rotund pianist—burst in, their lanterns casting wavering light across the modest furnishings. Their playful attempts to rouse the unmoving Pierrot create a tension between humor and pathos, hinting at hidden feelings that will unfold as the evening progresses.