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Today in History: Busoni's Unfinished ‘Doktor Faust’ Premieres in Dresden

5/21/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On May 21, Dresden’s Semperoper staged the world premiere of Ferruccio Busoni’s opera Doktor Faust, a work the composer left unfinished in 1924. His student Philipp Jarnach completed the score, and Antony Beaumont later refined lost sketches for the performance, fulfilling Busoni’s intended masterpiece.

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Story summary

On May 21, Dresden’s Semperoper staged the world premiere of Ferruccio Busoni’s opera Doktor Faust, a work the composer left unfinished in 1924. His student Philipp Jarnach completed the score, and Antony Beaumont later refined lost sketches for the performance, fulfilling Busoni’s intended masterpiece.