Henze

Hans Werner Henze (1926–2012) was a German composer renowned for his prolific output across opera, orchestral, and vocal music. Born in Gütersloh, he emerged as a major figure of postwar European modernism, balancing experimental techniques with expressive immediacy. In the early part of his career he engaged with the turbulent political and cultural climate of mid-20th-century Germany, and in the 1950s he relocated to Italy, where he lived for several decades and developed his distinctive stylistic voice.

Henze's music is characterized by a flexible approach to tradition, drawing on neoclassicism, serial technique, and rich orchestration while pursuing strong dramatic and lyrical content. His works often address social and political themes, and he frequently collaborated with librettists and poets to shape the theatrical dimension of his operas and vocal music. He wrote across a wide range of genres, from intimate vocal cycles to large-scale orchestral and choral works, and he remained active well into the late 20th century.

He is considered one of the leading German composers of the postwar era, with a lasting influence on European contemporary music. His legacy includes a substantial contribution to the operatic repertoire and to the broader evolution of modern music in the second half of the 20th century.