Der Rauchfangkehrer
Encyclopedia
Der Rauchfangkehrer, oder Die Unentbehrlichen Verräther ihrer Herrschaften aus Eigennutz (The Chimney Sweep, or The Indispensable Betrayers of Their Lordships out of Self-interest) is an opera
in three acts by Antonio Salieri
to a German libretto
by Leopold Auenbrugger
. Originally designated as a Musikalisches Lustspiel (musical comedy), the work has the characteristics of both a German Singspiel
and an Italian opera buffa
.
The musical work was referred to as a practice in "the [German] language" for Salieri, as Joseph II put it. Here, Salieri was able to create virtuoso roles for some of the most famous singers of Vienna: Caterina Cavalieri
, who created the role of Konstanze in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail
, and Ludwig Fischer
, who created the role of Osmin in the same opera. Fräule Nannette (Cavalieri) sings brilliant showpiece arias in her quest for Volpino's love, notably "Wenn dem Adler das Gefieder", and Herr von Bär (Fischer) consistently exhibits his orsine qualities by going down to E2
and D2 his two arias. Additionally, the opera brings out very much humour and entertainment through Volpino's astute character and the ladies' infatuation with him.
at the Burgtheater
in Vienna
. It was given 13 times between then and 5 July 1782
. It later gained popularity in northern Germany, where it was consistentlly revived until the early 1900s.
The first performance in our days was on 14 November 2011 in Graz, Austria, the hometown of the librettist Leopold Auenbrugger.
An amorous intrigue is which Volpino, the chimney sweep, and Lisel, the cook, connive at receiving a dowry from their social betters, Herr von Bär and Herr von Wolf. Volpino accomplishes this task by enamoring Frau von Habicht and Fraule Nannette through music, later persuading the noblemen, who are wooing the ladies, to provide him money in order to disinterest the women.
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 three acts by Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri was a Venetian classical composer, conductor and teacher born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, but who spent his adult life and career as a faithful subject of the Habsburg monarchy....
to a German 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...
by Leopold Auenbrugger
Leopold Auenbrugger
Josef Leopold Auenbrugger or Leopold von Auenbrugg , Austrian physician who invented percussion as a diagnostic technique. On the strength of this discovery, he is considered one of the founders of modern medicine.-Biography:Auenbrugger was a native of Graz in Styria, an Austrian province...
. Originally designated as a Musikalisches Lustspiel (musical comedy), the work has the characteristics of both a German Singspiel
Singspiel
A Singspiel is a form of German-language music drama, now regarded as a genre of opera...
and an Italian opera buffa
Opera buffa
Opera buffa is a genre of opera. It was first used as an informal description of Italian comic operas variously classified by their authors as ‘commedia in musica’, ‘commedia per musica’, ‘dramma bernesco’, ‘dramma comico’, ‘divertimento giocoso' etc...
.
The musical work was referred to as a practice in "the [German] language" for Salieri, as Joseph II put it. Here, Salieri was able to create virtuoso roles for some of the most famous singers of Vienna: Caterina Cavalieri
Caterina Cavalieri
Maddalena Giuseppa Caterina Cavalieri was an Austrian soprano.-Biography:Born in Lichtental, Vienna, Cavalieri studied voice with composer Antonio Salieri, and performed the role of Konstanze in the 16 July 1782 world premiere of Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail, and Donna Elvira in the...
, who created the role of Konstanze in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Die Entführung aus dem Serail is an opera Singspiel in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German libretto is by Christoph Friedrich Bretzner with adaptations by Gottlieb Stephanie...
, and Ludwig Fischer
Ludwig Fischer (bass)
Johann Ignaz Ludwig Fischer , commonly called Ludwig Fischer, was a German opera singer, a notable bass of his time.-Life:...
, who created the role of Osmin in the same opera. Fräule Nannette (Cavalieri) sings brilliant showpiece arias in her quest for Volpino's love, notably "Wenn dem Adler das Gefieder", and Herr von Bär (Fischer) consistently exhibits his orsine qualities by going down to E2
E (musical note)
E or mi is the third note of the solfège.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of Middle E is approximately 329.628 Hz. See pitch for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.-Designation by octave:...
and D2 his two arias. Additionally, the opera brings out very much humour and entertainment through Volpino's astute character and the ladies' infatuation with him.
Performance history
Commissioned by Emperor Joseph II for his German company, it was first performed on 30 April 17811781 in music
- Events :*March - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart moves to Vienna to pursue his career, but is passed over in favour of Antonio Salieri as music teacher of Princess of Württemberg....
at the Burgtheater
Burgtheater
The Burgtheater , originally known as K.K. Theater an der Burg, then until 1918 as the K.K. Hofburgtheater, is the Austrian National Theatre in Vienna and one of the most important German language theatres in the world.The Burgtheater was created in 1741 and has become known as "die Burg" by the...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. It was given 13 times between then and 5 July 1782
1782 in music
- Events :*March 17 – Violinist Giovanni Battista Viotti makes a début at the Concert Spirituel in Paris.* August 4 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart marries Constanze Weber.* William Shield is appointed resident composer to Covent Garden....
. It later gained popularity in northern Germany, where it was consistentlly revived until the early 1900s.
The first performance in our days was on 14 November 2011 in Graz, Austria, the hometown of the librettist Leopold Auenbrugger.
Roles
| Role | Voice type Voice type A voice type is a particular kind of human singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristics. Voice classification is the process by which human voices are evaluated and are thereby designated into voice types... |
Premiere cast, 30 April 1781 (Conductor: – ) |
|---|---|---|
| Volpino, an astute and musical Italian chimney sweep Chimney sweep A chimney sweep is a worker who clears ash and soot from chimneys. The chimney uses the pressure difference caused by a hot column of gas to create a draught and draw air over the hot coals or wood enabling continued combustion. Chimneys may be straight or contain many changes of direction. During... |
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... |
Gottfried Schmidt |
| Lisel, a cook, engaged to Volpino | 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... |
Anna Haselbeck-Schindler |
| Frau von Habicht, a wealthy young widow and retired opera singer | soprano | Barbara Fischer |
| Fräule Nannette, her stepdaughter | soprano | Caterina Cavalieri Caterina Cavalieri Maddalena Giuseppa Caterina Cavalieri was an Austrian soprano.-Biography:Born in Lichtental, Vienna, Cavalieri studied voice with composer Antonio Salieri, and performed the role of Konstanze in the 16 July 1782 world premiere of Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail, and Donna Elvira in the... |
| Herr von Bär, an ambitious nobleman wooing Frau von Habicht | 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... |
Ludwig Fischer Ludwig Fischer (bass) Johann Ignaz Ludwig Fischer , commonly called Ludwig Fischer, was a German opera singer, a notable bass of his time.-Life:... |
| Herr von Wolf, an ambitious nobleman wooing Fraule Nannette | tenor | Joseph Souter |
| Johann, servant to Herr von Bär | bass | Friedrich Günther |
| Tomaso, a chimney master | bass | Johann Hoffmann |
Synopsis
Setting: The rich mansion of Frau von Habicht during the late 1800s, located in a German capital city.An amorous intrigue is which Volpino, the chimney sweep, and Lisel, the cook, connive at receiving a dowry from their social betters, Herr von Bär and Herr von Wolf. Volpino accomplishes this task by enamoring Frau von Habicht and Fraule Nannette through music, later persuading the noblemen, who are wooing the ladies, to provide him money in order to disinterest the women.
Recordings
- "Wenn dem Adler das Gefieder" from Divas of Mozart's Day, Patrice Michaels (soprano), Stephen Alltop (conductor), Classical Arts Orchestra; Cedille RecordsCedille Records#REDIRECTCedille Records is the independent record label of TheChicago Classical Recording Foundation.-Company History:In 1989, James Ginsburg founded Cedille Records, as a...
(2002)