''Seelewig'' or ''Das geistliche Waldgedicht oder Freudenspiel genant Seelewig'' (''The Sacred Forest Poem or Play of Rejoicing called Seelewig'') is an

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

in a prologue, three acts and an epilogue by the German composer Sigmund Theophil Staden. The

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

by Georg Philipp Harsdörffer (1607–1658), first published 1644 in the fourth part of his ''Frauenzimmer Gesprächspiele'', is based on the schoolplay ''Ein gar schön geistliches Waldgetichte genant Die glückseelige Seele'' of 1637, itself translated from ''L'anima felice favola boschareccia'' by the Italian Nicolò Negri (1606). It is the earliest German opera whose music has survived. On the surface, the work seems to be a typical

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

allegory As a List of narrative techniques, literary device or artistic form, an allegory is a wikt:narrative, narrative or visual representation in which a character, place, or event can be interpreted to represent a meaning with moral or political signi ...

of the soul's journey through this world and the symbolic action takes place in a

pastoral The pastoral genre of literature, art, or music depicts an idealised form of the shepherd's lifestyle – herding livestock around open areas of land according to the seasons and the changing availability of water and pasture. The target au ...

setting. Nonetheless, recent inquiries which account for the context of the libretto in Harsdörffer's ''Frauenzimmer Gesprächspiele'' have pointed out several problems of a seamless allegoresis. Those readings make it much more likely that ''Seelewig'' is bound to its

Jesuit The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

pretext in a complex, competitive and even polemic way. The opera mixes musical numbers and spoken dialogue in a way which foreshadows the

Singspiel A Singspiel (; plural: ; ) is a form of German-language music drama, now regarded as a genre of opera. It is characterized by spoken dialogue, which is alternated with ensembles, songs, ballads, and arias which were often strophic, or folk- ...

Performance history

It was performed before the court at

Nuremberg Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...

in 1644. Duchess Elisabeth Sophie of Mecklenburg also arranged a performance at

Wolfenbüttel Wolfenbüttel (; ) is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, the administrative capital of Wolfenbüttel District Wolfenbüttel (; ) is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, the administrative capital of Wolfenbüttel (district), Wolfenbüttel Distri ...

on 21 April 1654 and it was staged again in

Augsburg Augsburg ( , ; ; ) is a city in the Bavaria, Bavarian part of Swabia, Germany, around west of the Bavarian capital Munich. It is a College town, university town and the regional seat of the Swabia (administrative region), Swabia with a well ...

in 1698. In the 1970s it was revived with productions in Germany, the Netherlands and

Oberlin, Ohio Oberlin () is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. It is located about southwest of Cleveland within the Cleveland metropolitan area. The population was 8,555 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Oberlin is the home of Oberlin ...

Roles

Synopsis

Prologue

Music confesses her disappointment that so much recent entertainment has been secular. Allied with Poetry, she intends to return to her true vocation: the praise of God.

Act 1

The

satyr In Greek mythology, a satyr (, ), also known as a silenus or ''silenos'' ( ), and sileni (plural), is a male List of nature deities, nature spirit with ears and a tail resembling those of a horse, as well as a permanent, exaggerated erection. ...

Trügewald wants to seduce the beautiful

nymph A nymph (; ; sometimes spelled nymphe) is a minor female nature deity in ancient Greek folklore. Distinct from other Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature; they are typically tied to a specific place, land ...

Seelewig. Fearing his own ugliness will lead to failure, he enlists the help of the vain young shepherd Künsteling, as well as Ehrelob, Reichimuth and Sinnigunda. Sinnigunda tries to lead Seelewig from the path of virtue but Gwissulda and Herzigild warn the latter to beware of her deceit. The thwarted Trügewald is furious.

Act 2

Künsteling, Ehrelob, Reichimuth and Sinnigunda ply Seelewig with gifts (a telescope, a fishing rod, a bow and arrow and a crown of flowers). Once again Gwissulda and Herzigild save Seelewig from their seductions. Seelewig takes fright during a storm and sings a song asking advice from the forest echo, which warns her to flee the snares of this world.

Act 3

The next morning Trügewald and his friends try a new way to trick Seelewig. Seelewig again asks advice from the echo but this time it is Trügewald who replies, disguising his voice. This echo tells Seelewig to give herself over to the pleasures of this world. As Seelewig plays a game of blind man's buff with the shepherds, Trügewald leaps out and catches her. But Gwissulda and Herzigild pull the blindfold off Seelewig's eyes to reveal the ugly truth. Trügewald and his companions are chased from the forest. Seelewig is converted and a chorus of angels give thanks for her salvation.

Recordings

*''Seelewig'' Soloists, I Ciarlatani, conducted by Klaus Winkler ( CPO, 2004)''Seelewig'' CPO recording
includes essay by Johan van Veen, musicweb-international.com

References

Sources *Aikin, Judith P (2002), ''A Language for German Opera'' (Wiesbaden) *Caemmerer, Christiane (1987), "Das Geistliche Waldgetichte: Die Glückseelige Seele von 1637 und seine Quelle". 16, pp. 665–678 *Caemmerer, Christiane (1998), ''Siegender Cupido oder Triumphierende Keuschheit. Deutsche Schäferspiele des 17. Jahrhunderts'' (Stuttgart) *Kaminski, Nicola (2010), "Ut pictura poesis? Arbeit am Topos in Georg Philipp Harsdörffers ''Seelewig''" in ''Frühneuzeitliche Stereotype. Zur Produktivität und Restriktivität sozialer Vorstellungsmuster'', pp. 367–397, ed. Miroslawa Czarnecka, Thomas Borgstedt and Thomasz Jablecki (Bern) *Schütze, Robert (2010), "Auf Teufel komm raus. Wie Harsdörffers ''Seelewig'' ihren Prätext zerstört". ''Deutsche Vierteljahrsschrift für Literaturwissenschaft und Geistesgeschichte'' 84, pp. 448–477