Der Trompeter von Säkkingen
Encyclopedia
Der Trompeter von Säkkingen (The Trumpeter of Säkkingen) is an opera
in a prologue and three acts by Viktor Nessler
. The German
libretto was by Rudolf Bunge, based on the epic poem, Der Trompeter von Säckingen , by Joseph Viktor von Scheffel
.
at the Carola Theater (or Stadttheater) in Leipzig
, on 4 May 1884. It was Nessler's greatest success, albeit in part because of the popularity of von Scheffel's work. It was subsequently given at the Metropolitan Opera
in New York
on 23 November 1887, and at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
in London
on 8 July 1892.
and Säkkingen
, after the Thirty Years War. The trumpeter Werner loves Maria, the daughter of the Baron, but her father and mother want her to marry the cowardly Damian. Werner proves himself a hero and is opportunely discovered to be of noble birth, so all ends happily.
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 a prologue and three acts by Viktor Nessler
Viktor Nessler
Viktor Ernst Nessler was an Alsatian composer who worked mainly in Leipzig.Nessler was born at Baldenheim near Sélestat, Alsace. At Strasbourg he began his university career with the study of theology, but he concluded it with the production of a light opera entitled Fleurette...
. The German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
libretto was by Rudolf Bunge, based on the epic poem, Der Trompeter von Säckingen , by Joseph Viktor von Scheffel
Joseph Viktor von Scheffel
Joseph Victor von Scheffel was a German poet and novelist.-Biography:He was born at Karlsruhe. His father, a retired major in the Baden army, was a civil engineer and member of the commission for regulating the course of the Rhine; his mother, née Josephine Krederer, the daughter of a prosperous...
.
Performance history
The opera was first performed under Arthur NikischArthur Nikisch
Arthur Nikisch ; 12 October 185523 January 1922) was a Hungarian conductor who performed internationally, holding posts in Boston, London and - most importantly - Berlin. He was considered an outstanding interpreter of the music of Bruckner, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Liszt...
at the Carola Theater (or Stadttheater) in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, on 4 May 1884. It was Nessler's greatest success, albeit in part because of the popularity of von Scheffel's work. It was subsequently given at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on 23 November 1887, and at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 8 July 1892.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, May 4, 1884 (Conductor: Arthur Nikisch Arthur Nikisch Arthur Nikisch ; 12 October 185523 January 1922) was a Hungarian conductor who performed internationally, holding posts in Boston, London and - most importantly - Berlin. He was considered an outstanding interpreter of the music of Bruckner, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Liszt... ) |
|---|---|---|
| Werner Kirchhofer, law student, later a trumpeter | 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... |
Otto Schelper |
| Konradin, a trumpeter | bass | Karl Grengg |
| Baron von Schönau | bass | |
| Maria, daughter of the Baron | 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... |
|
| Count von Wildenstein | bass | |
| Countess Wildenstein, Maria's aunt, former wife of the Count | contralto Contralto Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above... |
|
| Damian, son of the Count by a subsequent wife | tenor | Marion |
| The majordomo | 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... |
|
| The rector | bass | |
Synopsis
Setting: 17th-century HeidelbergHeidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
and Säkkingen
Bad Säckingen
Bad Säckingen is a rural town in the administrative district of Waldshut in the state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is famous as the "Trumpeteer's City" because of the book "The Trumpeteer of Säckingen", a famous 19th century novel by German author Joseph Victor von Scheffel.- Geography :Bad...
, after the Thirty Years War. The trumpeter Werner loves Maria, the daughter of the Baron, but her father and mother want her to marry the cowardly Damian. Werner proves himself a hero and is opportunely discovered to be of noble birth, so all ends happily.
Recordings
Nessler: Der Trompeter von Säkkingen - Cologne Radio Orchestra and Chorus- Conductor: Helmuth Froschauer
- Principal singers: Alfred Kuhn (Bass); Christoph Späth (Tenor); Franz Hawlata (Bass); Hermann PreyHermann PreyHermann Prey was a German lyric baritone. He is most famous for lieder and for light comic baritone roles in opera.-Biography:...
(Baritone); Katharina Kammerloher (Mezzo soprano) - Recording date: 1994
- Label: Capriccio - CAP60055 (CD)
Sources
- Amadeus Almanac
- Franklin, Peter (1992), 'Trompeter von Säkkingen, Der' in The New Grove Dictionary of OperaNew Grove Dictionary of OperaThe New Grove Dictionary of Opera is an encyclopedia of opera, considered to be one of the best general reference sources on the subject. It is the largest work on opera in English, and in its printed form, amounts to 5,448 pages in four volumes....
, ed. Stanley Sadie (London) ISBN 0-333-73432-7