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Gesamtkunstwerk: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Gesamtkunstwerk noun. A total work of art that unites music, drama, design and more into a single whole.
How to say it
guh-ZAMT-koonst-vairk/ɡəˈzamtkʊnstˌvɛːk/
4 syllables, stressed on the second (ZAMT).
Gesamtkunstwerk in a sentence
Wagner wanted each opera to be a Gesamtkunstwerk, with stage, score and story inseparable.
With its lighting, food and costumes, the festival felt like one great Gesamtkunstwerk.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- total artwork
- synthesis
Where Gesamtkunstwerk comes from
German for total work of art, a term made famous by Richard Wagner.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
With its lighting, food and costumes, the festival felt like one great _____.
- virtuoso
- slapstick
- Gesamtkunstwerk
Show the answer
Gesamtkunstwerk: With its lighting, food and costumes, the festival felt like one great Gesamtkunstwerk.