Der Traumgörge
Encyclopedia
Der Traumgörge is an opera
in two acts and an epilogue by Austrian composer Alexander Zemlinsky. The libretto
was written by Leo Feld
.
(then known as the Vienna Court Opera), where Gustav Mahler
, a mentor of Zemlinsky's, was Musical Director. Mahler had encouraged his younger colleague to compose the opera following the success of Es war einmal
which Mahler had premiered in 1900. In 1907, the same year Der Traumgörge was scheduled for performance, Mahler hired Zemlinsky to be an assistant conductor. Shortly thereafter, however, Mahler abruptly resigned and his successor, Felix Weingartner
, dropped Der Traumgörge from the schedule, even though the work had already gone into rehearsal. Zemlinsky himself then resigned in protest.
Zemlinsky moved on to other compositional projects and, deciding that Der Traumgörge needed revision, made little effort to further promote it. The original performance materials were discovered in the archives of the Vienna State Opera in the 1970s, a period of renewed interest in Zemlinsky's music. This led to the opera's belated premiere in Nuremberg
, Germany
on October 11, 1980.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in two acts and an epilogue by Austrian composer Alexander Zemlinsky. The libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
was written by Leo Feld
Leo Feld
Leo Feld was an Austrian librettist, dramaturge, stage director, and writer. He also worked as a translator for publishing companies, and was notably responsible for translating many of Charles Dickens' English language works for their first German language publications.Born with the name Leo...
.
Performance history
Der Traumgörge was intended for performance at the Vienna State OperaVienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian...
(then known as the Vienna Court Opera), where Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
, a mentor of Zemlinsky's, was Musical Director. Mahler had encouraged his younger colleague to compose the opera following the success of Es war einmal
Es war einmal
Es war einmal is a fairy-tale opera in a prologue and three acts by the Austrian composer Alexander von Zemlinsky. Its libretto, an adaptation of M...
which Mahler had premiered in 1900. In 1907, the same year Der Traumgörge was scheduled for performance, Mahler hired Zemlinsky to be an assistant conductor. Shortly thereafter, however, Mahler abruptly resigned and his successor, Felix Weingartner
Felix Weingartner
Paul Felix von Weingartner, Edler von Münzberg was an Austrian conductor, composer and pianist.-Biography:...
, dropped Der Traumgörge from the schedule, even though the work had already gone into rehearsal. Zemlinsky himself then resigned in protest.
Zemlinsky moved on to other compositional projects and, deciding that Der Traumgörge needed revision, made little effort to further promote it. The original performance materials were discovered in the archives of the Vienna State Opera in the 1970s, a period of renewed interest in Zemlinsky's music. This led to the opera's belated premiere in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on October 11, 1980.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast 11 October 1980 (Conductor: Hans Gierster) |
|---|---|---|
| Gertraud | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Johanna-Lotte Fecht |
| Grete | soprano | Sharon Markovich |
| Görge | tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2... |
Karl-Heinz Thiemann |
| Hans | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Peter Weber |
| Kaspar | baritone | Andreas Förster |
| Marei | soprano | Ursula Wendt-Walther |
| Matthes | bass Bass (voice type) A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C... |
|
| Züngl | tenor | Wilhelm Teepe |
| Princess | soprano | Johanna-Lotte Fecht |
| The miller | bass | |
| The pastor | bass | |
| A voice | mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above... |
|
| Innkeeper | tenor | |
| Innkeeper's wife | soprano | Elizabeth Kingdon |
Recordings
- Capriccio 10241/42: Janis MartinJanis Martin (soprano)Janis Martin is a retired American opera singer who sang leading roles first as a mezzo-soprano and later as a soprano in opera houses throughout Europe and the United States...
, Josef Protschka, Pamela Coburn, Hartmut Welker, Martin Blasius, Victor von Halem, Birgit Calm, Gabriele Maria Ronge; Hessischer Rundfunk Youth Chorus; hr-SinfonieorchesterHR-SinfonieorchesterThe hr-Sinfonieorchester is the radio orchestra of Hessischer Rundfunk, the public broadcasting network of the German state of Hesse. Until 2005 it was the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, a name still used for international tours....
; Gerd AlbrechtGerd AlbrechtGerd Albrecht is a German conductor. He was a first-prize winner at the International Conductors Competition in Besançon at age 22. His first post was as a repetiteur at the Stuttgart State Opera. Later, he became Senior Kapellmeister at the Mainz Municipal Theatre, and Generalmusikdirektor in...
, conductor. - EMI 7243 5 570872 4: Patricia RacettePatricia RacettePatricia Lynn Racette is an American operatic soprano. A winner of the Richard Tucker Award in 1998, she has been a regular presence at major opera houses internationally. Racette has enjoyed long-term partnerships with the San Francisco Opera, where she has been a regular performer since 1989,...
, Susan B. Anthony, David Kuebler, Iride Martinez, Andreas SchmidtAndreas Schmidt (baritone)Andreas Schmidt is a German classical bass-baritone in opera and concert.- Professional career :Andreas Schmidt studied church music with his father Hartmut Schmidt and singing with Ingeborg Reichelt and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.His 1984 debut was in the part of Malatesta in Donizetti's Don...
, Zelotes Edmund Toliver, Michael Volle, Lothar Odinus, Natalie Karl, Machiko Obata; Gürzenich-Orchester Kölner Philharmoniker; conducted by James ConlonJames ConlonJames Conlon is an American conductor and the current Music Director of the Los Angeles Opera.-Early years:Conlon grew up in a family of five children on Cherry Street in Douglaston, Queens, New York. His mother, Angeline L. Conlon, was a freelance writer. His father was an assistant to the New...
.