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Death in Venice

The novel Death in Venice was written in German by Thomas Mann, and was first published in 1912 as Der Tod in Venedig. It is often said to be Mann's most important short narration.

A film version directed by Luchino Visconti was made in 1971, with Dirk Bogarde as Gustav von Aschenbach and Bjorn Andresen as Tadzio. Benjamin Britten wrote an operatic version of the story on a libretto by Myfanwy Piper (premiered 1973).


Summary of the plot

Gustav von Aschenbach, knowing he has only a short time to live, travels to Venice, where he becomes obsessed with the androgynous beauty of the adolescent boy Tadzio. An epidemic of Asiatic cholera has just broken out and von Aschenbach plans to leave but changes his mind because of Tadzio, even though he never even has the opportunity to talk to the boy. Eventually Gustav dies on the Lido beach. In the film, von Aschenbach is a composer; in the original book, he is a writer.

The character of Aschenbach has been said to be based in part on the composer Gustav Mahler.

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Last updated: 01-28-2005 09:01:00
Last updated: 02-25-2005 01:22:18