Elmar Lampson’s new opera Wellen, based on Eduard von Keyserling’s 1911 novel, has received outstanding praise following its world premiere at Theater Bremen in May. In a major review for leading opera magazine Opernwelt, critic Volker Tarnow writes that “Elmar Lampson delivers an opera that defies contemporary triviality.” From the “intricate, harmonically dense overture” that evokes a sense of elemental threat, to “delicate textures—fragile echoes of a long-lost Romantic era,” Wellen offers a musically and emotionally charged portrait of a fading world. Lampson draws “striking motifs from the prosody and speech melody of short phrases,” weaving them into a “vibrant, polystylistic score” that reimagines traditional elements like the pentatonic scale with striking originality. As Tarnow concludes: “This piece will undoubtedly ripple through many opera houses.”
Critics have responded enthusiastically to the musical language of Wellen. Andreas Schnell of Kreiszeitung praised the “iridescent score,” while Wolfgang Denker in Der Opernfreund spoke of “passages of unearthly beauty.” Christine Gorny (Bremen Zwei) observed that “Elmar Lampson’s music remains constantly in flow, carrying the action forward.” Ute Schalz-Laurenze in Neue Musikzeitung emphasized the score’s expressive range: “Lampson’s music holds nothing back: it moves between wild and tender, between major and minor, with numerous pentatonic touches and hugely demanding ensemble sections. . . . it repeatedly manages to create completely unexpected constellations and confrontations. The percussion formations positioned on both sides of the stage are thrilling.”
Jürgen Gahre from Opera UK also gave a glowing review, praising the captivating music “that is as poetic as it is exciting”, with music that is “in constant motion and shimmers in many colours” and “Orchestral interludes … [that] provide a deep insight into people’s psyches…” Gahre similarly ends inviting “other companies … [to] take up this rich and rewarding opera”.
One can only hope that other opera houses will follow suit and take up this rich and rewarding work, letting its waves travel far beyond Bremen.