Christophorus oder Die Vision einer Oper

Christophorus (oder Die Vision einer Oper) is an opera in a prologue, two acts and epilogue by Franz Schreker with a German-language libretto by the composer.

Composition history

Begun in 1925, work on the opera was interrupted by the composition of Der singende Teufel during 1927-28. Schreker returned to Christophorus in 1928, completing it in 1929.[1]

The work is dedicated to Arnold Schoenberg.[1]

Performance history

Originally scheduled for performance at the Theater Freiburg in 1933, pressure from the National Socialists forced its cancellation due to the composer's Jewish ancestry. Freiburg finally staged the premiere on 1 October 1978.[1] A concert performance was given in Vienna in 1991[1] with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ingo Metzmacher and a fully staged production at Kiel Opera in 2002.[2]

Roles
Role Voice type [3] Freiburg 1 October 1978 [3]

(Conductor: Klaus Weise)

 Kiel 14 June 2002[4]

(Conductor: Ulrich Windfuhr)

Meister Johann Bass Jan Alofs Hans Georg Ahrens
Lisa, his daughter Soprano Patricia Stasis Susan Bernhard
Anselm Tenor Luis Glockner Robert Chafin
Christoph Baritone Steven Kimbrough Jörg Sabrowski
Heinrich Baritone
Amandus Baritone
Ernst Tenor
Frederik Baritone
The Child (boy) Mezzo-soprano
Florence, a medium Soprano
Etta, Lisa's maid Spoken role
Starkmann, editor Spoken role
Abbé Caldani Spoken role
Silia Spoken role
Mabel Spoken role
Hotel guests

Recordings

Christophorus: Georg Ahrens, Susanne Bernhard, Jörg Sabrowski, Robert Chafin, Matthias Klein, Bernd Gebhardt, Hans-Jürgen Schöpflin, Simon Pauly, Jennifer Arnold, Kieler Opernchor, Philharmonisches Orchester Kiel, Ulrich Windfuhr, CPO.[5]

References
  1. Christopher Hailey: 'Franz Schreker: A cultural biography' (Cambridge University Press, 1993)
  2. http://www.operatoday.com/content/2005/12/schreker_christ.php
  3. Margaret Ross Griffel: Operas in German: A Dictionary (revised edition, 2018) Vol. 1. Lanham, MD, Rowman & Littlefield, p. 82.
  4. Booklet accompanying cpo 2-CD set 999 903-2 Franz Schreker: Christophorus oder »Die Vision einer Oper«, p. 64.
  5. Opera Today
Sources
  • Hailey, Christopher, Franz Schreker: A cultural biography Cambridge University Press, 1993
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