
A quiet terrace overlooking the Venetian lagoon sets the stage for a night that feels both intimate and portentous. A flamboyantly dressed page introduces the drama, his lyrical monologue blurring the line between performance and confession as he reflects on art, memory, and the looming shadow of a great master’s demise. The scene gathers Tizian’s son, the tender‑hearted Tizianello, and the strikingly beautiful sixteen‑year‑old Gianino, along with a handful of servants whose nervous chatter hints at a fragile household teetering on the brink of loss. Their dialogue swirls around the ailing painter’s feverish need to finish a new work, the tug of familial duty, and the unsettling whisper of mortality.
The drama unfolds in a richly poetic style, echoing the textures of Renaissance art while probing the anxieties of those who live in its wake. As the characters grapple with the master’s wavering strength, questions of creative legacy and personal sacrifice surface, creating a tension that feels both timeless and immediate. Listeners will be drawn into a world where brushstrokes become metaphors for hope, fear, and the relentless passage of time.
Language
de
Duration
~28 minutes (27K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Norbert H. Langkau, Jens Sadowski, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2019-10-31
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1874–1929
A brilliant Austrian writer of the fin-de-siècle, he moved easily between lyric poetry, drama, essays, and opera libretti. He is especially remembered for his collaborations with Richard Strauss and for helping shape the spirit of the Salzburg Festival.
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