Celebrating the 125th Anniversary of Kurt Weill

In honor of the 125th anniversary of Kurt Weill, Ute Lemper pays tribute to the composer who has shaped 40 years of her artistic journey. This time, she takes a bold and innovative approach, reimagining his work for a new era.

Collaborating with David Chesky, Ute has created a polyphonic, electronic, and contemporary collage—a cinematic and intense re-exploration of Weill’s iconic stories. The songs transcend time, becoming multi-dimensional adventures. Through this unexpected and unique vision, the exotic characters of Weill’s world are brought vividly back to life.

“I chose my favorite Kurt Weill songs, including some that are relatively unknown. A century later, it’s time to bring him back into our world!” Ute shares.

Ute’s selections span Weill’s extraordinary career. From his Weimar-era masterpieces, she performs Mack the Knife, Pirate Jenny, and The Salomon Song from The Threepenny Opera, Surabaya Johnny from Happy End, and The Ballad of the Drowned Girl from the radio cantata The Lindbergh Flight. From Weill’s Paris exile, Ute revives Le Grand Lustucru from the play Marie Galante. Finally, she reimagines two gems from Weill’s American Songbook: Speak Low from One Touch of Venus and My Ship from Lady in the Dark.

This visionary project brings Kurt Weill’s timeless works into the contemporary spotlight, celebrating his genius in ways that resonate profoundly with modern audiences.

Credits
Produced by: David Chesky and Ute Lemper
Vocal Arrangements by: Ute Lemper
Music Arrangements by: David Chesky
Recorded by: David Chesky and Ute Lemper
Mixed in 3D Mega-Dimensional sound by: David Chesky and Ute Lemper
Additional Engineering and Percussion by: Todd Turkisher
Mastered by: Alan Silverman
Artwork by: Charl Kroeger
Photos of Ute by: Jim Rackete
Project Manager: Enrique Saguay