Antikrist - Church Opera in Six Scenes (1921-23, rev. 1926-30) This is a highly imaginative philosophical-religious opera by Danish organist and composer Rued Langgaard (1893-1952). "Antikrist" is an apocalyptic vision with surrealist or absurdist influences, intended as a critique and condemnation of Western civilization and its supposed egoism and soullessness. The work was inspired by P.E. Benzon's 1907 dramatic poem "The Antichrist." In the opera, God sends the Antichrist into the world, where he is eventually cursed and killed. Although I do not share Langgaard's religious or philosophical views (to me, much of the libretto is nonsense), I find the musical treatment of the material fascinating. Langgaard's musical idiom is influenced by late Romantic composers such as Richard Strauss, Mahler and Nielsen, although there are affinities with modernists such as Hindemith and Scriabin. Much of Langgaard's music is highly evocative and heavily laden with symbolism. In this performance conducted by Niels Muus at the Tiroler Landestheaters in Innsbruck, the opera is performed in German. The original Danish libretto can be found here: langgaard.dk/musik/vaerker/antilibretto.htm