''Undine'' 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 ...

, with spoken dialogue, in three acts by the German composer and author E. T. A. Hoffmann. 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

Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué Friedrich Heinrich Karl de la Motte, Baron Fouqué (; 12 February 1777 – 23 January 1843) was a German writer of the Romantic style. Biography He was born at Brandenburg an der Havel, of a family of French Huguenot origin, as evidenced in h ...

, is based on his own story ''

Undine Undines (; also ondines) are a category of elemental beings associated with water, stemming from the alchemical writings of Paracelsus. Later writers developed the undine into a water nymph in its own right, and it continues to live in modern l ...

''. It received its premiere at the Königliches Schauspielhaus in Berlin on 3 August 1816. ''Undine'' was Hoffmann's greatest operatic success and a major influence on the development of German Romantic opera.

Carl Maria von Weber Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber (5 June 1826) was a German composer, conductor, virtuoso pianist, guitarist, and Music criticism, critic in the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Best known for List of operas by Carl Maria von Weber, h ...

's enthusiastic review of the opera admired it as "an art work complete in itself, in which partial contributions of the related and collaborating arts blend together, disappear, and, in disappearing, somehow form a new world". It was revived by the Wuppertal Opera in 1970. There is a 1960 recording (including the spoken dialogue) by the Choir and

Symphony Orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...

of the Bavarian Radio, conductor: Jan Koetsier, Undine: Rita Streich, Hulbrand von Ringstetten: Raimund Grumbach, Berthalda: Melitta Muszely, Kuhleborn:

Karl-Christian Kohn Karl-Christian Kohn (21 May 1928 in Losheim am See – 20 January 2006) was a German opera singer (bass). Life After his education at the Hochschule für Musik Saar from 1949 to 1952 Kohn made his debut at the Stadttheater Saarbrücken (today ...

, Ein alter Fischer:

Max Proebstl Max Proebstl (24 September 1913 – 19 November 1979) was a German opera and oratorio singer (bass). Life and career Born in Munich, Proebstl studied at the Music Academy in his hometown with the famous bass singer Paul Bender. At the age of ...

, Seine Frau: Sunhild Rauschkolb, Heilmann:

Kieth Engen Kieth Engen (5 April 1925 – 2 September 2004) was an American operatic bass who was a member of Munich's Bavarian State Opera for decades. Although his career was based in Munich, he appeared internationally as a guest singer at major opera h ...

, Herzog: Anton Rosner, Herzogin: Marjorie Heistermann; and a 3 CDs 1993 recording Koch Schwann, No. 3-1092-3, (leaving out the spoken dialogue) by the

Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra The Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (''Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin'') is a German symphony orchestra based in Berlin. In Berlin, the orchestra gives concerts at the Konzerthaus Berlin and at the Berliner Philharmonie. The orchestra has a ...

and the Choir of

St. Hedwig's Cathedral St. Hedwig's Cathedral () is the Catholic cathedral of the Archdiocese of Berlin on Bebelplatz in the historic centre of Berlin. Dedicated to Hedwig of Silesia, it was erected from 1747 to 1773 by order of Frederick the Great according to pla ...

in Berlin, conductor: Roland Bader; Roland Hermann, , Elisabeth Glauser, Krisztina Laki, Heikki Orama, Karl Ridderbusch, Ulrich Ress, Dora Koschak, Mani Mekler.

Roles

Notes

External links

*
''Arien und Gesänge der Zauber-Oper genannt: Undine''
(libretto, Berlin 1816) – via

Bavarian State Library The Bavarian State Library (, abbreviated BSB, called ''Bibliotheca Regia Monacensis'' before 1919) in Munich is the central " Landesbibliothek", i. e. the state library of the Free State of Bavaria, the biggest universal and research libra ...

{{Authority control Romantische Opern German-language operas 1816 operas Operas Opera world premieres at the Berlin State Opera Works by E. T. A. Hoffmann Works based on Undine (novella) Operas based on novels

Roles

Further reading

Notes

External links