Die Kathrin

Erich Wolfgang Korngold

Die Kathrin, Op. 28 is an opera in three acts by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, with a German libretto by Ernst Decsey.

Contents

Performance history

Korngold completed the opera during the summer of 1937. The premiere was set for March 1938 in Vienna, but was cancelled on Nazi instructions after the Nazi invasion of Austria, due to Korngold's Jewish ancestry. It finally premiered at the Royal Swedish Opera in neutral Stockholm, Sweden on 7 October 1939, conducted by Fritz Busch[1]. A Vienna run of only eight performances in October 1950 met with indifferent reviews, the opera's richly melodic musical language being completely at odds with the austere post-war taste.[2].

Roles

Role Voice type Premiere cast[1]
7 October 1939
(Conductor: – Fritz Busch)
Kathrin soprano Isa Quensel
François tenor
Malignac bass-baritone Sven d'Ailly
Chou-Chou soprano
Monique mezzo-soprano

Recordings

References

  1. ^ a b "7 october 1939 musical events". Italy: amadeusonline. http://www.amadeusonline.net/almanacco.php?Start=0&Giorno=7&Mese=10&Anno=1939&Giornata=&Testo=&Parola=Stringa. Retrieved 26 July 2010. 
  2. ^ Carroll, Brendan G.. "The Background to the Opera" (CD liner). Release notes for Die Kathrin by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Germany: CPO (999602-2).
  3. ^ "Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Die Kathrin". Germany: CPO. http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/lang/en/currency/EUR/hnum/8389480/art_hex/45726963682d576f6c6667616e672d4b6f726e676f6c642d4469652d4b61746872696e. Retrieved 26 July 2010. 
  4. ^ R.E.B. (May 2003). "Korngold: Die Kathrin". Classical CD Review. http://www.classicalcdreview.com/kathrin.html. Retrieved 3 August 2010.