Schubert Fierrabras

[Alan Howe]

I'd never bothered to investigate Schubert's opera Fierrabras - until today. It turns out to have a superabundance of melody and memorable music, whatever its shortcomings as a drama may be. Does anyone else have a view on Schubert's little-known opera?

[Balapoel]

One topic I've been waiting for!
Schubert's work seems well-sung (double entendre intended), but there is a huge wealth of unsung works by him. One of my missions is to explore every piece by him (1,072), particularly every piece after 1821.  The operas in particular have been fascinating for me, given how often Schubert strove with the form, and I have found a wealth of color (and coloratura) in his operatic works. I can't speak to the librettos' quality (and I think that is their main failure on the stage), but in terms of music, they are incredibly rich.

I recommend all of them, but one of my favorites is the singspiel Die Verschworenen, particularly the soprano duet near the beginning... incredible. All of the operas and singspiels are tuneful, with varying degrees of symphonic masterpieces. Most know of the entr'actes of Rosamunde. There is some great symphonic music (as well as great solo and choral writing).

What's available in Schubert's stage works (I have all of them, sometimes in different versions) (incomplete or unfinished in red):

• Opera "Der Spiegelritter" (The Looking Glass Knight) (1812) (First act only complete, rest incomplete) (34')
• Opera "Des Teufels Lustschloss" (The Devil's Pleasure Palace) (1814) (23 numbers) I have overture and one number. (6')
• Singspiel "Der vierjährige Posten" (The Four-Year Posting) (1815) (31')
• Singspiel "Fernando" (1815) (23')
• Singspiel "Claudine von Villa Bella" (1815) (31')
• Singspiel "Die Freunde von Salamanka" (The Friends from Salamanka) (1815) (77')
• Melodrama "Die Zauberharfe" (1816) (99')
• Opera "Die Bürgschaft" (1816) 16 numbers; first 2 acts finished. (I have several numbers) (21' total)
• Opera "Adrast" (1819) fragment, thirteen numbers only; 8 completed, 4 sketched. I have 1 number. (5') The overture in e minor (D648) is probably the overture to Adrast, and it is also beautiful (6').
• Singspiel "Die Zwillingsbrüder" (The Twin Brothers) (1819 (35')
• Opera "Sakuntala" (sketches of two acts only, 400 pages, reconstructed) (1820) (87')
• Opera "Alfonso und Estrella" (three acts, 35 numbers) (1822) (163')
• Singspiel "Die Verschworenen" (The Conspirators) (1823) (64')
• Opera "Fierrabras" (in three acts, 23 numbers) (1823) (144')
• Incidental music to "Rosamunde, Fürstin von Cypern" Op. 26 (1823) (60')
• Opera "Der Graf von Gleichen" (The Count of Gleichen) (sketch, one chorus only published) (1827) (reconstructed, 165')

Stage works with no recordings (that I know of):

• Aria and Duet for Hérold's opera "Das Zauberglöckchen" (1823) (extant, but I can't find this anywhere)
• Opera "Rüdiger" (sketches for 2 numbers, 300 bars) (1823)
• Opera "Sophie" sketches only (1821) 3 numbers


-Balapoel

[TerraEpon]

• Melodrama "Die Zauberharfe" (1816) (99')

Really? Something more than the overture (aka the Rosamunde Overture)? I've really been wanting to hear this one.

[Balapoel]

Ah yes,
Die Zauberharfe, "The Magic Harp"

It took a long while to find this one (all 3 acts):
Bongiovanni label  GB 2019/20-2 (2 cd set)
Thomas Moser, Jozsef Nemeth, Ostermayer, etc.
Orchestra Filarmonico e Coro del Teatro Nazionale di Szeged, direttore: Tito Gotti.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks, Balapoel, for such a full reply - extremely helpful. I have also ordered Alfonso und Estrella having not realised before what a big piece it is. A Schubert-fest awaits...

[ArturPS]

Thanks, Balapoel, for such a full reply - extremely helpful. I have also ordered Alfonso und Estrella having not realised before what a big piece it is. A Schubert-fest awaits...

Oh, you're in for a treat! Alfonso was one of the first operas I bought, I've loved it ever since. Yes, the libretto has shortcomings, one must concede that music does too, as Schubert does take his time on some things that need to move faster. That, however, isn't much of a problem is one keeps the music flowing, and most Schubert interpretations (not only his operas - half an hour for the unfinished??) really don't. The third act is a stunner!

Fierrabras is also one opera I love, I have the big Abbado edition, even bought it cheap and new. The major qualms I have with that come from the interpretation, as I certainly can picture everything moving better (also, they deliver their spoken text rather awkwardly!)

[TerraEpon]

It took a long while to find this one (all 3 acts):
Bongiovanni label  GB 2019/20-2 (2 cd set)

Aha. Looks like it's long OOP and there's nothing used at Amazon. Ah well, sound samples at Allmusic anyway.


Back to the topic at hand, I believe I've listened to Fierrabras once and really enjoyed it. I'm not too big on opera so I general don't go seeking them out to buy, however.

[mikehopf]

Ah... Schubert operas... lovely stuff!

I went to see a performance of Fierrabras in Oxford in 1986 given by a student group from the university. I think that the conductor was Clive Brown, the Spohr proponent. One of the scenes in this performance featured the encampment of the Moorish army. It was a bit of a raggle-taggle group as the "Moors" were dressed in jeans, duffel coats and scarves which prompted one member of the audience to proclaim in a loud voice: " These must be the Yorkshire Moors!".

Anyway, I've got several excerpts from " Adrast " on a German tape if Balapoel wants them.

[Balapoel]

Anyway, I've got several excerpts from " Adrast " on a German tape if Balapoel wants them.

That would be lovely, thanks! I would share what I have with the group, but alas, all are from CDs (or LP-CD commercial transfers).

[mikehopf]

http://www.mediafire.com/?934wv5vz6gkpu

Schubert: Adrast ( Fragment)
                 Franz Fuhrunger; Ferdinanad Frantz; RSO & Chorus Bern/Christopher Gertz (?)

Thanks for the offer, Balapoel, but I already have them too plus several DVDs of these operas.

 

[Balapoel]

Hmm. I don't see anything in the mediafire page.

Got it. Thanks! Do you have any info regarding the movement(s)?

I figured it out: It's the first three pieces.

Additional material from Adrast is welcome - I only knew of 2. Recitative & Aria ("War einer je der Sterblichen begluckt") (4:35), from...

http://www.amazon.com/Schubert-Opera-Arias-Oliver-Widmer/dp/B00005MGAE%3FSubscriptionId%3D0HTPM7G9PR4JWF8QWKG2%26tag%3Dintemusiscorl-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB00005MGAE