EGON (formerly SCHIELE IN PRISON)
NYC CONCERT PREMIERE
In January 2025, the first public workshop of my opera about Egon Schiele had its concert premiere in NYC inpartnership with the Neue Galerie. Formerly titled SCHIELE IN PRISON and now titled EGON, it tells the story of the only artist in over 1,000 years of Austrian history ever imprisoned for his art: Egon Schiele.
This 100-minute opera with 11 singers, string quartet and piano is set during the years 1904 to 1912, covering Egon's teenage years through his traumatic prison experience.
Thanks to the assistance of Dr. Alessandra Comini, whose book, Schiele in Prison, inspired my interest in Schiele, I was able to spend one night in Schiele’s prison cell in Neulengbach, Austria. It was a powerful experience—the near pitch-black room, the tall, thick walls, and the unbearable silence—I felt as if I had been buried alive. This experience greatly influenced the prison scene music as it alternates between supporting Egon with his memories and torturing him with the voices in his head.
Concert Workshop Premiere
NYC January 2025
Click here to watch a 5 minute highlight reel from the concert workshop premiere recorded live January 2025.
**Entire performance available upon request at JaredSchwartzWrites@gmail.com**
Schiele In Prison Program
NYC Concert premiere
Egon's traumatic and inspiring story made its concert debut January 24 and 25, 2025 in NYC presented in partnership with the Neue Galerie at the beautiful home of Mark Sullivan and Jim St. George with 11 singers, a string quartet and piano. To see the digital program from the premiere, click here.
Jailed Jared in Schiele's Neulengbach cell, May, 2022.
Jared and Dr. Alessandra Comini, who discovered Schiele's prison cell in 1963. We revisited it together in May 2022.