Detlev Glanert comes out as a bookworm

Composer Detlev Glanert can't imagine a world without books. "I'm a heavy reader. I have a pile of about 30 books next to my bed. It's my daily diet," the 63-year-old told the German Press Agency. He is currently reading the newly published and fascinating biography "Metternich" by Wolfram Siemann. Before that, it was Christopher Clark's new book about the revolution of 1848 ("Springtime of the Revolution: Europe 1848/49 and the Struggle for a New World").

However, it is not only historical material that attracts him, but also fiction, admitted the artist, who is one of the most frequently performed opera composers in the world. He revisits good books and poetry several times. "I read the Rilke poems every ten years. That's a must." The correspondence between Goethe and Schiller will also be back soon: "That's terrific."

Glanert's new work - the opera "The Jewess of Toledo" based on the drama of the same name by Franz Grillparzer - premiered at the Semperoper last Saturday and met with a great response from the audience. The audience applauded for several minutes.