Thuringian composer Helmut Zapf has created a masterclass modern ballet for female singer, chamber ensemble and playback.The libretto was written by Ulrike Liedtke, director of the Musikakademie Rheinsberg. Das goldene Kalb is actually an animal fable about the transformation of a calf into a chimera before eventually becoming Pegasus. The story is grand, if not to say complicated, and in itself demands greatness simply perfect for a ballet in which music, text and dance can unite to form a synthesis of the different art forms. Zapf has received numerous awards and prizes for his compositions, including being named guest of honour at the Villa Massimo in Rome, and has worked at the Rheinsberg Academy of Music since 1994. The premiere performance of Das goldene Kalb was staged at the 'Schlosstheater' in Rheinsberg in 2006. For this NCA release a performance in December 2007 was captured, which was given by the Berlin 'ensemble mosaik' and conducted by the Hamburg conductor Jobst Liebrecht. Incidentally: the booklet, which is in three languages (German, English and French), contains the stage directions and song texts as well as short biographies about the composer, conductor and 'ensemble mosaik'.