This recording of Eugen Engel’s opera Grete Minde documents an extraordinary event: as the only opera by the formerly unknown composer, it had to wait until 13 February 2022 for its premiere at Theater Magdeburg, almost 90 years after its completion and 80 years after the death of its creator. This deferred debut was preceded by years of behind-the-scenes work, including the compilation of musical material from the handwritten manuscript, as well as biographical research on Engel himself. The fact that only a few historical references to him exist is partly due to the fact that music was not his main profession; the primary cause, however, stems from the persecution and murder of almost his entire family during the Shoah (Holocaust).

The accompanying booklet to this 2-disc live recording of the opera’s premiere contains liner notes by head dramaturge Ulrike Schröder, artist biographies, and the full libretto in both German and English.

Cast:
- Gerdt Minde: Marko Pantelić
- Trud Minde: Kristi Anna Isene
- Little Gerdt: Jan Arik Redmer
- Grete Minde: Raffaela Lintl
- Emrentz Zernitz: Jadwiga Postrożna
- Valtin: Zoltán Nyári
- Der alte Gigas: Paul Sketris
- Peter Guntz: Johannes Stermann
- Puppenspieler: Johannes Wollrab
- Hanswurst: Benjamin Lee
- Zenobia: Na’ama Shulman
- Mother Superior of Arendsee monastery: Karina Repova
- An Innkeeper: Frank Heinrich