This study explores the curial politics of culture and music in the early German Democratic Republic as well as the conflicts between politics and music triggered by the opera Lukullus. Die Verurteilung des Lukullus of Paul Dessau and Bertolt Brecht became an issue, and its musical, aesthetical, and political aspects were debated in East Germany. Dessau’s music was considered as formalistic even prior to its première and endured cultural-political attacks from German officials. The formalist music was regarded as antithesis of Social realist music in the Soviet block, because formalism did not include classical and traditional musical elements and popularity. Lukullus-debate exemplified the unavoidable relationship between cultural-political context in the East German and its music.