Arnljot opera
Encyclopedia
Arnljot is an opera
by the Swedish
composer Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
. Written in 1906, it premiered April 13, 1910 and was revised in 1956.
The origin to Arnljot is a melody that Wilhelm Peterson-Berger created when he first visited Jämtland
in 1898. When journeyed over Storsjön
he was inspired by the nearby mountains, Oviksfjällen. The opera
consists of three parts and the historical foundations of the opera is the character Arnljot Gelline that are mentioned in Snorri Sturluson saga
about Olav Haraldsson (den Helige, Rex perpetuus Norvegiae) and the writings on Frösöstenen, the rune stone that is placed on Frösön
. Out of these components, Wilhelm Peterson-Berger wrote his drama.
. However, Wilhelm Peterson-Berger had already two years earlier allowed amateurs to perform parts of the texts and music on Frösön on a midsummer night eve. Nearly 3.000 persons witnessed this amateur performance of the Arnljot play.
Today, each summer the Arnljot play (the opera is performed as a play, but the texts and music remains the same) staged in an outdoor environment on the island of Frösön, close to where the actual premiere took place in 1908. The background of the stage is a panoramic view over Storsjön and Oviksfjällen; thus, when the audience hears the introduction tune of the opera, they see the same view as Wilhelm Peterson-Berger did when he created the opera. 2011 is the 72nd summer with Arnljot on Frösön since 1935.
(an established cultural institution) that exists in the Swedish province of Jamtland
.
"Listen Jamtar ('Jämts') to what I have to say for a while. Not even eighty winters have passed since Jamtland was still free and in charge of its own business. Back then, no taxes was given away to foreign kings. Why we settled being enslaved, at first under Norway and then under Svitiod [a reference to Sweden], are something that I have never understood. This country, being protected by forests, bogs and mountains, is difficult to raid and easy to defend. There are plenty of fighting men among us and more such men can be brought here if paid by goods. Therefore, I now advise you - end this dispute of which kingdom we belong. Let us refuse all foreign attempts to make us a county, no matter who demands this from us. Let us again seize our former freedom and elect a chief for all of our country, a king who will lead our struggle if the struggle is needed to defend our homes and our land."
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...
by the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
composer Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
Olof Wilhelm Peterson-Berger was a Swedish composer and music critic...
. Written in 1906, it premiered April 13, 1910 and was revised in 1956.
The origin to Arnljot is a melody that Wilhelm Peterson-Berger created when he first visited Jämtland
Jämtland
Jämtland or Jamtland is a historical province or landskap in the center of Sweden in northern Europe. It borders to Härjedalen and Medelpad in the south, Ångermanland in the east, Lapland in the north and Trøndelag and Norway in the west...
in 1898. When journeyed over Storsjön
Storsjön
Storsjön is the fifth largest lake in Sweden, with an area of 464 km² and a greatest depth of 74 m. It is located in the province of Jämtland in modern Jämtland County. From Storsjön runs the river Indalsälven and the lake contains the major island Frösön...
he was inspired by the nearby mountains, Oviksfjällen. The opera
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...
consists of three parts and the historical foundations of the opera is the character Arnljot Gelline that are mentioned in Snorri Sturluson saga
Saga
Sagas, are stories in Old Norse about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, etc.Saga may also refer to:Business*Saga DAB radio, a British radio station*Saga Airlines, a Turkish airline*Saga Falabella, a department store chain in Peru...
about Olav Haraldsson (den Helige, Rex perpetuus Norvegiae) and the writings on Frösöstenen, the rune stone that is placed on Frösön
Frösön
Frösön is a small island in the lake Storsjön located west of the city Östersund in Jämtland. For ages this island was the regional centre of Jämtland....
. Out of these components, Wilhelm Peterson-Berger wrote his drama.
Performance history
The original performance of Arnljot as an opera were put on in on April 13, 1910 at the Royal Theater in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. However, Wilhelm Peterson-Berger had already two years earlier allowed amateurs to perform parts of the texts and music on Frösön on a midsummer night eve. Nearly 3.000 persons witnessed this amateur performance of the Arnljot play.
Today, each summer the Arnljot play (the opera is performed as a play, but the texts and music remains the same) staged in an outdoor environment on the island of Frösön, close to where the actual premiere took place in 1908. The background of the stage is a panoramic view over Storsjön and Oviksfjällen; thus, when the audience hears the introduction tune of the opera, they see the same view as Wilhelm Peterson-Berger did when he created the opera. 2011 is the 72nd summer with Arnljot on Frösön since 1935.
Famous passage from the drama
The quote below serves as an inspiration for the present-day independence movementRepublic of Jamtland
The United Republics of Jamtland, Herjeådalen and Ravund is a part serious part humorous culture and marketing project, with regionalist and historical elements based in the Swedish County of Jämtland, located in the middle of Scandinavia.-History:The Republic of Jamtland was founded in 1963 as a...
(an established cultural institution) that exists in the Swedish province of Jamtland
Jämtland County
Jämtland County is a county or län in the middle of Sweden consisting of the provinces of Jämtland and Härjedalen, along with minor parts of Hälsingland and Ångermanland, plus two tiny uninhabited strips of Lapland and Dalarna. Jämtland County constitutes 12 percent of Sweden's total area, and is...
.
"Listen Jamtar ('Jämts') to what I have to say for a while. Not even eighty winters have passed since Jamtland was still free and in charge of its own business. Back then, no taxes was given away to foreign kings. Why we settled being enslaved, at first under Norway and then under Svitiod [a reference to Sweden], are something that I have never understood. This country, being protected by forests, bogs and mountains, is difficult to raid and easy to defend. There are plenty of fighting men among us and more such men can be brought here if paid by goods. Therefore, I now advise you - end this dispute of which kingdom we belong. Let us refuse all foreign attempts to make us a county, no matter who demands this from us. Let us again seize our former freedom and elect a chief for all of our country, a king who will lead our struggle if the struggle is needed to defend our homes and our land."