"We only endure our lives through change" Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Among the great authors of literary modernism, Hugo von Hofmannsthal is a fascinating special case, one who was rich in contradictions and diverse in his wide-ranging productivity. Characters such as the Rosenkavalier, Lord Chandos or Jedermann have been enlivening texts and stages for over a hundred years. This large overview presents Hofmannsthal's texts and projects in their unrelenting transformations. Especially important were his extensive networks and friendships in different artistic milieus, such as those including Arthur Schnitzler, Max Reinhardt or Richard Strauss. The crises and constants of this life's work are illuminated against the historical background of a dramatic period of change – from the anxious turn of the century to the turmoil of the World War and the confusion of the late 1920s. A great, captivating biography and an impressive portrait of a creative oeuvre that has remained astonishingly alive.
"The biography is a successful start to the Hofmannsthal year." - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Sandra Kegel
"[...] in the rich, well-thought-out and thus captivating biography [...]." - Salzburger Nachrichten, Hedwig Kainberger
"The result is a multi-faceted overall picture. The wait for the first Hofmannsthal biography was worth it, it is a standard work - and will remain so for a long time." - Tiroler Tageszeitung, Joachim Leitner
"The nine-hundred-page biography of Hofmannsthal leaves us moved, thoughtful and enriched" - ORF Ö1 - Ex Libris, Cornelius Hell
