The Angelus Novus Cycle consists, along with the work for solo soprano, Angela Nova 2, of the six works that comprise the poly-work Angelus Novus, a music theatre piece based on Walter Benjamin (premiered at the Munich Biennale on 5 May 2000).

The music theatre piece is based on the following text: “There is a picture by Klee called Angelus Novus. It shows an angel that looks as if it were about to move away from something at which it is starting. Its eyes are wide, its mouth is open and its wings are spread. This is what the angel of history must look like. Its face is turned towards the past. Where we see a chain of circumstances before us, it sees one giant catastrophe piling wreckage upon wreckage and throwing it at the angel’s feet. It presumably wants to stay a while, wake the dead and put the pieces back together. But a storm is blowing from paradise; it has taken hold of its wings, and is so strong that the angel can no longer fold them up. This storm pushes it inexorably into the future, on which its back is turned, while the wreckage before it rises to the heavens. What we call progress is this storm.” (Walter Benjamin, On the Concept of History, IX)

Contents:
CD 1
[01-05] Angela Nova, for soprano and ensemble
Monika Meier-Schmid (soprano)
Ensemble SurPlus / James Avery

[06] Zweite Kammersymphonie, for chamber orchestra
Ensemble SurPlus / James Avery

[07] Solitude-Sérénade, for piccolo oboe and ensemble
Ernest Rombout (piccolo oboe)
Ensemble SurPlus / James Avery

Total time: 63:30

CD 2
[01] La terreur d’ange nouveau, for flute
Carin Levine (flute)

[02] La vision d’ange nouveau, for violoncello
Franklin Cox (cello)

[03] Le rêve d’ange nouveau, for piano
Sophie-Mayuko Vetter (piano)

[04-08] Angela Nova 2, for soprano
Almut Hellwig (soprano)

Total time: 63:50