''Die Brautwahl'' (''The Bridal Choice'') is a "comic-fantastic"
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 three acts and an epilogue by
Ferruccio Busoni
Ferruccio Busoni (1 April 1866 – 27 July 1924) was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor, editor, writer, and teacher. His international career and reputation led him to work closely with many of the leading musicians, artists and literary ...
. The German
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 Busoni himself, is based on a short story by
E. T. A. Hoffmann. Busoni began work on this, his first completed opera, in 1905.
''Die Brautwahl'' was first performed at the
Stadttheater Hamburg on 12 April 1912. It was not a success with audiences but its failure did not discourage the composer's ambition to write for the operatic stage.
Roles
Synopsis
The artist Edmund is in love with Albertine but he has many rivals for her hand. These include the "
revenant" Manasse, his son Baron Bensch and the bureaucrat Thusman. The "bridal choice" of the title is finally decided by a trial involving three caskets which Edmund wins.
Recordings
*1999:
Siegfried Vogel, Carola Höhn,
Graham Clark,
Vinson Cole
Vinson Cole (born November 21, 1950) is an American operatic tenor.
Early life
A native of Kansas City, the tenor studied at the Conservatory of Music and Dance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City; the Philadelphia Musical Academy; and ...
,
Deutsche Oper Berlin Chorus,
Staatskapelle Berlin, conducted by
Daniel Barenboim (Teldec)
References
Further reading
*
Holden, Amanda (ed.), ''The New Penguin Opera Guide'', New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001.
* Müller, Ingo: Die Rezeption E.T.A. Hoffmanns in der klassischen Musik des 19. bis 21. Jahrhunderts. In: “Unheimlich Fantastisch – E.T.A. Hoffmann 2022”. Begleitbuch zur Ausstellung der Staatsbibliothek Berlin in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Deutschen Romantik-Museum Frankfurt a. M. und der Staatsbibliothek Bamberg, hg. von Benjamin Schlodder, Christina Schmitz, Bettina Wagner und Wolfgang Bunzel, Leipzig 2022, ISBN 3959055730 S. 315-322.
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brautwahl, Die
Operas based on works by E. T. A. Hoffmann
Operas by Ferruccio Busoni
German-language operas
Opera world premieres at the Hamburg State Opera
1912 operas
Operas