Hans Werner Henze: Composer, Communist, Dandy

A film by Holger Preuße and Philipp Quiring
sounding images, WDR/arte, 52 min, 2026

From the humanist messages, his personal experiences of Nazism, war, the loss of cultural identity, the opposition to his work and person, to outright public hostility: these formative experiences made Hans Werner Henze Germany’s most political composer. To mark his 100th birthday in July 2026, this documentary brings the relevance of his music to life, both audibly and visually.
 
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The film is currently available in the online media libraries of SRF, Arte und ORF (in German only).