Peter Ruzicka possesses many talents - scientific, linguistic, leadership, and creative. At the center of it all is his passionate creativity: composing. This monograph focuses on his musical works, attempting to trace the artist's journey from his linguistic development and early successes to the present day in 2013. Ruzicka's oeuvre itself dictated the structure of the book. The presentation does not follow a strict chronology or solely a systematic categorization of genres. The two main works, the operas Celan and Hölderlin, serve as focal points of an ellipse, within which the topography of Ruzicka's composing is exemplarily explored. Biographical aspects are integrated where they necessarily intertwine with the music.