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Revision as of 09:10, 23 July 2013 by Gerda Arendt (talk | contribs) (Mann)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Die Hamletmaschine is an opera composed by Wolfgang Rihm to a German-language libretto based on Heiner Müller's 1977 play of the same name. The libretto, subtitled Musiktheater in 5 Teilen (Music Drama in 5 parts), was written by the composer. The opera was composed between 1983 and 1986 and premiered on 30 March 1987 at the Nationaltheater Mannheim.
Background
The play by Müller paraphrases Shakespeare's Hamlet. In its first production, directed by Robert Wilson, the first words were spoken after 20 minutes of silent actions: "Ich war Hamlet." (I was Hamlet). Rihm composed his opera between 1983 and 1986. He presented parts of the score for the competition "Liebermann Prize" of Hamburg. Hans Mayer reminded in his "Laudatio" of Thomas Mann, who had seen in 1947 the job of a composer in an "Endzeit" (End of time) to write "nur noch, als Wehklage und Apokalypse, eine heutige Neunte Sinfonie der Inhumanität" (only, as lament and apocalypse, today's Ninth Symphony of inhumanity“ (Doktor Faustus).
Performance history
The premiere production at the Nationaltheater Mannheim in 1987 was directed by Friedrich Meyer-Oertel and conducted by Peter Schneider. The role of Ophelia, written for a Wagnerian soprano, was sung by Gabriele Schnaut. The Hamlet character was portrayed at different stages in his life by three separate performers: the actors Kurt Müller and Rudolf Kowalski as Hamlet I and Hamlet II, and the baritone Johannes M. Kösters as Hamlet III. The work is described in the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Opera as following Stockhausen in that it seeks "a total theatre of sound and nonnarrative, ritualistic drama." Müller's play, which formed the basis for the libretto, has subsequently had two more musical settings—a chamber work by Ruth Zechlin for narrator and small orchestra (1991) and an oratorio for choir, soloists and orchestra by Georges Aperghis (2000).
A live recording of the opera's premiere was released on CD in 1995 (Wergo #6195)
Structure
- I. Familienalbum (Family Album)
- II. Das Europa der Frau (Europe of the Woman)
- III. Scherzo
- IV. Pest in Buda, Schlacht um Grönland (Pest in Buda, Battle of Greenland)
- V. Wildharrend, In der furchtbaren Rüstung, Jahrtausende (Wildstraining, In the Fearsome Armaments, Millennia)
References
- ^ Universal Edition. Wolfgang Rihm, Die Hamletmaschine: Musiktheater in 5 Teilen. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ Herbort, Heinz Josef Herbort (29 May 1987). Letzte Szenen in Momentform / Verwirrung und Tod, Zwiespalt und Entscheidungslosigkeit gebannt in Bildern aus dem Geist der Musik, Die Zeit Template:De icon
- Warrack, John and West, Ewan (eds.) (1996). "Rihm, Wolfgang", Concise Oxford Dictionary of Opera, p. 432. Oxford University Press.
- Yunker, Johanna Frances (2013). "Father or Criminal: Ruth Zechlin's Post-Reunification Opera Die Reise", p. 3. AMS-SW Conference, Spring 2013, Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ WERGO. Wolfgang Rihm, v. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- AllMusic. Rihm: Die Hamletmaschine. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
Further reading
- Neff, Severine (1990). "Die Hamletmaschine: Musiktheater in fünf Teilen (1983-1986) by Wolfgang Rihm". Notes, Second Series, Vol. 47, No. 1 (September 1990), pp. 215-217 (subscription required)
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