Why is the early 19th century still so vividly present in literature, philosophy, music and art? Why do Beethoven and Schubert continue to dominate many concert programmes as well as a considerable volume of contemporary music journalism? German Romanticism was never an arcane hideout for other-worldly escapists; rather, it has to this day remained one of the most popular wellsprings of activity and discussion. So how does Rahel Varnhagen fit into this? From 1790 to 1832, she hosted a famous salon in which she had discussions with and inspired eminent figures in the fields of literature, theatre, philosophy, music, politics and science. Her chains of somewhat unconventional correspondence span thousands of pages. Since Hannah Arendt’s groundbreaking book on Rahel (1933/58), her historical significance as a “pariah”, as an outsider who was constantly in the spotlight, as a woman of Jewish descent and as a (non-publishing) writer has been brought into ever-sharper focus. Pauline, the daughter of a banker by the name of César, was from a very early age admired by many on account of her beauty. Portrayed here by a concert singer, Pauline is allowed to be extravagant, whereas Rahel, who leans more towards straight theatre, is rather more rigid in her spoken and sung idiom. The scenes allow answers to be given straightaway even though the two protagonists do not actually meet until the epilogue.

Born in 1943 in Bern (Switzerland), Roland Moser studied composition with Sándor Veress and has degrees in piano and music theory from Bern.