(''The Tenant'') 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 ...

after the novel ''

The Tenant ''The Tenant'' () is a 1976 French psychological horror thriller film directed by Roman Polanski from a screenplay he co-wrote with Gérard Brach, based on the 1964 novel of the same name by Roland Topor. The film stars Polanski, Isabelle Adj ...

'' (''Le locataire chimérique'') by

Roland Topor Roland Topor (7 January 1938 – 16 April 1997) was a French illustrator, cartoonist, comics artist, painter, novelist, playwright, film and TV writer, filmmaker and actor, who was known for the surrealism, surreal nature of his work. He was of Po ...

, with music by

Arnulf Herrmann Arnulf Herrmann (born in Heidelberg, 12 December 1968) is a German composer. After studying piano with Gernot Sieber at the Richard Strauss Conservatory in Munich he enrolled at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber, where he studied co ...

composed in 2012 to 2017. 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 ...

was written by

Händl Klaus Handl or Händl is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Irene Handl (1901–1987), English character actress * Jacobus Handl (1550–1591), late-Renaissance composer *Klaus Händl Klaus Händl (born September 17, 1969) is an Au ...

. Commissioned by the

Oper Frankfurt The Oper Frankfurt (Frankfurt Opera) is a German opera company based in Frankfurt. Opera in Frankfurt am Main has a long tradition, with many world premieres such as Franz Schreker's ''Der ferne Klang'' in 1912, ''Fennimore and Gerda, Fennimore ...

, the opera was first performed there on 12 November 2017, directed by

Johannes Erath Johannes Erath (born 1975) is a German opera director. Career Erath was born in 1975 in Rottweil. First he studied violin with Rainer Küchl at der University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna and with Hansheinz Schneeberger in Freiburg. He ...

and conducted by

Kazushi Ōno (born 1960) is a Japanese conductor. He is currently music director of the Brussels Philharmonic and of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of New National Theatre Tokyo. Biography Ōno studied at the Tokyo Nation ...

History

Topor's 1964 novel ''Der Mieter'' (''Le locataire chimérique'') was filmed as ''

'' by

Roman Polanski Raymond Roman Thierry Polański (; born 18 August 1933) is a Polish and French filmmaker and actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Roman Polanski, numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, three Britis ...

in 1976.

wrote the libretto, commissioned by the

.Bettina Boyens
''Arnulf Herrmann hat für die Oper Frankfurt „Der Mieter“ komponiert.''
''

Frankfurter Neue Presse The ''Frankfurter Neue Presse'' (FNP; "Frankfurt New Press") is a German daily newspaper based in Frankfurt am Main and focused on local and regional topics. History The FNP was founded on 15 April 1946 under a license of the American military ...

'', 11 November 2017, retrieved 18 November 2017

composed the music between 2012 and 2017. For the leading woman, Johanna, he composed three songs (''Gesänge'') which were premiered already in 2014, titled ''Drei Gesänge am offenen Fenster'' (Three Songs at the Open Window) in the ' concert series.

Anja Petersen Anja Petersen (''née'' Metzger) is a German operatic soprano and university lecturer. She works as a soloist in opera and concert, and as a member of the RIAS Kammerchor. She has appeared in world premieres in both opera and concert, including t ...

stepped in as the singer and received critical praise.Gerhard Rohde
"Großer Klavierklang, fließende Streichquartette"
'' Neue Musikzeitung'', November 2014 The opera was first performed in Frankfurt on 12 November 2017, directed by

in a stage design by with costumes by , lighting design by , video by , sound design by Josh Jürgen Martin, and with dramaturge Zsolt Horpácsy.

conducted the

Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester Frankfurter may refer to: * Various varieties of sausage ** Frankfurter Würstchen ** Frankfurter Rindswurst ** Vienna sausage, or also called a ''Frankfurter Würstel'' in Austria ** Hot dog, a fully cooked sausage, traditionally grilled or stea ...

and the . Reviewer of the ''

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung The (; ''FAZ''; "Frankfurt General Newspaper") is a German newspaper founded in 1949. It is published daily in Frankfurt and is considered a newspaper of record for Germany. Its Sunday edition is the ''Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung'' ( ...

'' saw the danger of rivalry to both the eloquent novel and the film powerful in images, and located the opera between Kafka's ''

The Metamorphosis ''The Metamorphosis'' (), also translated as ''The Transformation'', is a novella by Franz Kafka published in 1915. One of Kafka's best-known works, ''The Metamorphosis'' tells the story of salesman Gregor Samsa, who wakes to find himself inex ...

'' and Sartre's ''

No Exit ''No Exit'' (, ) is a 1944 existentialist French play by Jean-Paul Sartre. The play was first performed at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in May 1944. The play centers around a depiction of the afterlife in which three deceased characters a ...

''.Gerhard R. Koch
"Es tropfen die Hähne, es klopfen die Nachbarn"
(in German) ''

'', 14 November 2017, retrieved 15 April 2021

Roles

Reception

The Frankfurt premiere was reviewed mostly with acceptance. A reviewer of the ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and also published digitally that focuses on business and economic Current affairs (news format), current affairs. Based in London, the paper is owned by a Jap ...

'' warned "If you are feeling unstable, stay away.", and summarised that the production made "this a journey to the blackest regions of an anguished psyche in a hostile world". After praising all who made the performance possible, she concluded: The Japanese conductor Kazushi Ōno was seen by a reviewer of ''

Die Deutsche Bühne ''Die Deutsche Bühne'' is the oldest German theatre magazine and reports on the fields of acting, music theatre and dance. It first appeared under this title in 1909. The publisher is the Deutscher Bühnenverein. The editorial team consists of ...

'' as a highly competent advocate of the multilayered score ("als hochkompetenter Anwalt von Herrmanns vielschichtiger Partitur"). Andreas Bomba of the ''

'' reported strong applause for an extraordinary ensemble performance for a work described as suggestive, depressing and intense. The opera was nominated for the Opera Awards 2018.

References

External links

ISSUU
score of act I and act II
Arnulf Herrmann
website
Trailer

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mieter, Der Operas German-language operas 2017 operas Operas based on novels