SCHIELE IN PRISON

AN OPERA BY AMERICAN COMPOSER JARED SCHWARZ

Presented by Neue Galerie New York in conjunction with the special exhibition “Egon Schiele: Living Landscapes,” this groundbreaking new opera tells the story of the artist from 1904, when he was a teenager, to his traumatic imprisonment in 1912. Schiele is the only painter in Austrian history to have been imprisoned for his art. The stirring story and distinctive art of Egon Schiele are brought to life in an opera featuring 11 singers, a string quartet, and piano.

Jared Schwartz began composing Schiele in Prison after reading a book of the same title by renowned Schiele scholar, Dr. Alessandra Comini. Dr. Comini discovered Schiele’s forgotten prison cell in 1963 and was awarded the Grand Decoration of Honor by the Republic of Austria in 1990 in recognition of her contributions to Germanic culture. In 2022, Schwartz and Comini travelled to Austria and endured one night in Schiele’s prison cell in Neulengbach. “It was a powerful experience,” Schwartz recalls. “The near pitch-black room, the tall, thick walls, and the unbearable silence—I felt as if I had been buried alive.” This episode greatly informs Schiele in Prison, as the score alternates between the artist recalling pleasant memories and responding to the tortuous voices inside his head.

This program is made possible through the dedicated scholarship and generous sponsorship of Dr. Alessandra Comini, and with thanks to support from Mark Sullivan and Jim St. George.

Please note that the event is presented off-site at

The Carl Fischer Building
62 Cooper Square, 11th Floor
New York City

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., Curtain at 6:30 p.m. 

Tickets are non-refundable