In 1819, fledgling publisher Anton Diabelli commissioned 50 composers to write a variation on a waltz he had created. Beethoven rejected the invitation, dismissing Diabelli’s waltz as ordinary. He then obsessively created 33 variations on Diabelli’s theme. Why? Kaufman’s play weaves Beethoven’s artistic journey together with that of Katherine, a contemporary musicologist wrestling to pin down the source of his inexplicable fascination with such an insignificant piece of music. Deciphering clues left behind in Beethoven’s notebooks and letters, Katherine delves into his compositional process and daily life – finding even greater insight into her own obsession with genius.
