Der Freischütz
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| Operas by Carl Maria von Weber |
|---|
Peter Schmoll |
Der Freischütz is an opera in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber to a libretto by Friedrich Kind. It is considered the first important German Romantic opera, especially in its national identity and stark emotionality. Its plot was taken from German folk legend and many of its tunes were inspired by German folk music. Its unearthly portrayal of the supernatural is especially poignant in the famous Wolf's Glen scene. Despite its daring innovations (and some scathing attacks by critics) it quickly became an international success, with some fifty performances in the first 18 months after its June 18, 1821 premiere at the Konzerthaus Berlin. Among the many artists influenced by Der Freischütz was a young Richard Wagner, who would come to be seen by many as Weber's successor.
The term Der Freischütz comes from a German legend and is difficult to render into English. It is usually translated as "The Marksman"[1] or "The Freeshooter":[2] The famous overture and the very popular "Hunter's Chorus" from Act III ("with Princely enjoyment and manly employment ...") are sometimes performed as concert pieces.
Contents |
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 18 June 1821 (Conductor: Carl Maria von Weber) |
|---|---|---|
| Ottokar, Duke of Bohemia | baritone | Gottlieb Rebenstein |
| Kuno, head gamekeeper | bass | Johann Gottfried Karl Wauer |
| Agathe, the daughter of Kuno | soprano | Caroline Seidler |
| Ännchen, a young cousin of Agatha | soprano | Johanna Eunicke |
| Kaspar, a gamekeeper | bass | Heinrich Blume |
| Max, a gamekeeper | tenor | Karl Heinrich Stürmer |
| A hermit | bass | Johann Georg Gern |
| Kilian, a rich peasant | tenor | August Wiedemann |
| Zamiel, the dark hunter | spoken | Josef Hillebrand |
[edit] Synopsis
[edit] Act 1
The young gamekeeper Max loves Agathe and is to become the successor to Kuno, the head ranger and Agathe's father. But a test of skill in marksmanship is required, the trial to be held the following day.
At a target shooting, Max loses to the young peasant Kilian, who is proclaimed "King of marksmen." (Chorus: "Victoria! der meister soll leben"/"Victory! Long live the master"; the good-naturedly mocking song of Kilian: "Schau der Herr"/"Let him gaze on me as king.")
Because Max has had ill luck for several days he easily falls under the influence of Kaspar, who persuades Max to cast seven magic bullets to be used in the contest. Kaspar, whose soul on the morrow is to be forfeited to the devil, hopes to obtain three more years of grace by substituting Max in his place. (Trio: Kuno, Kaspar, Max; chorus: "O diese Sonne"/"O the sun, fearsomely it rises.")
Left alone, Max sinks into deep melancholy at the thought of losing Agathe through failure at the shooting contest. (Aria: "Durch die Wälder"/"Through woods and fields.") Kaspar with weird incantations tries to imbue him with courage. (Song: "Hier im ird'schen Jammerthal"/"Here in this vale of tears.")
He hands Max his gun loaded with a magic bullet, and to his own astonishment Max kills an eagle soaring at a great height. He resolves to go with Kaspar at midnight to the terrible Wolf’s Glen to cast the magic bullets, which will kill anything the shooter wants, in order to win the prize. Kaspar, left alone, triumphs. (Aria: "Schweig! damit dich Niemand wart"/"Silence, let no one warn him.")
[edit] Act 2
Agathe’s chamber
Agathe is filled with sad forebodings. She sings of her meeting with a hermit in the forest, who told her that in some danger which menaced her, she would be protected by her bridal wreath. At the moment when Max shoots the magic bullet, the picture of Agathe’s ancestor hanging against the wall falls to the floor, slightly wounding her. Agathe's cousin and companion Ännchen replaces it. (Duet: "Schelm, halt fest!"/"Rogue, hold fast, I will teach you.") Agathe is still more disturbed, but Ännchen endeavours to cheer her with jests. (Arietta: "Kommt ein schlanker Bursch gegangen"/"Comes a pretty boy this path.")
Agathe left alone awaits Max with the news of his success, which she decides to interpret as a favourable omen. (Recitative and aria: "Wie nahte mir der Schlummer . . . Leise, leise"/"My eyelids droop in slumber . . . Low, low, sacred words".)
Max arrives; he acknowledges that he has not been the victor, but explains that he has killed a deer, which he will bring this evening from the Wolf’s Glen. Notwithstanding the prayers of Agathe and Ännchen, Max departs. (Trio: "Wie? Was? Entsetzen!"/"What, oh horror! there in the wolf’s gorge?")
The Wolf’s Glen at night
Kaspar calls upon Zamiel, the black ranger, for assistance, and prepares the casting of the magic bullets. Max arrives and is warned by the spirit of his mother to abandon the project. Zamiel conjures up the shape of Agathe, representing her as drowning herself in despair at Max’s ill success, whereupon he plunges into the glen and with demoniacal noise the casting of the bullets is begun.
[edit] Act 3
Agathe’s chamber
Agathe is praying. (Aria: "Und ob die Wolke sie verhülle"/"Through clouds obscure still shines the sun in radiant sky.") Her doubts have returned, owing to a dream of ill omen, but Ännchen again cheers her with laughter and song. (Romance and aria, subsequently added by Weber: " Einst träumte meiner sel'gen Base"/"My deceased cousin had a dream.") The bridesmaids arrive with the bridal wreath. (Song: "Wir winden dir den Jungfern-Kranz"/"We wind round thee the bridal wreath.") When Ännchen opens the box, however, she finds within a funeral wreath, which still further increases Agathe’s misgivings. She is somewhat comforted by the memory of the hermit’s promise that she shall be protected by her bridal wreath.
The meeting of the marksmen
Having split the seven bullets between them, Max has used four and Kaspar has used three. Max demands Kaspar give him his last bullet to use in the final shooting contest, but Kaspar refuses. As Max leaves, Kaspar shoots a fox, thus making Max's bullet the seventh and controlled by the Evil One.
The prize shooting
Duke Ottokar awaits Max at his tent. (Chorus of foresters: "Was gleicht wohl auf Erden"/"What excels the pleasures of the chase.") Max is now to shoot a dove. As he takes aim, Zamiel, the black huntsman, appears to guide the bullet, and causes Max to fire at Agathe, who is apparently wounded. (Finale: "Schaut, o schaut"/"See, oh see, he shoots his bride.") Her bridal wreath turns the bullet aside and she revives. Kaspar, seeing a holy hermit by her side, realizes that he has failed. Zamiel grasps him instead of Max, whereupon Kaspar expires with a curse upon his lips. Duke Ottokar orders the corpse to be thrown into the Wolf’s Glen, receives the explanation of Max, and touched by his repentance and the prayers of the hermit ("Who puts on him this dreadful ban"), inflicts upon him but a slight penalty. A year of trial is imposed, the prize shooting abolished and a promise given that at the expiration of the time of probation the duke himself will place the hand of Agathe in that of Max.
[edit] Instrumentation
The opera "Der Freischütz" is scored for a standard-sized orchestra composed of:
In the orchestra pit: 2 piccolos, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, strings (violin I and II, viola, cello, double bass)
Onstage: 1 clarinet, 2 horns, 1 trumpet, violins, celli
[edit] Recordings
| Year | Cast (Agathe, Ännchen, Max, Kaspar) |
Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Elisabeth Grümmer, Rita Streich, Hans Hopf, Max Proebstl |
Erich Kleiber, Orchester der Radio Köln, (WDR radio production) |
Audio CD: Koch Cat. No. |
| 1960 | Irmgard Seefried, Rita Streich, Richard Holm, Kurt Böhme |
Eugen Jochum, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra |
Audio CD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat. No. |
| 1973 | Gundula Janowitz, Edith Mathis, Peter Schreier, Theo Adam |
Carlos Kleiber, Staatskapelle Dresden |
Audio CD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat No. |
| 1980 | Hildegard Behrens, Helen Donath, René Kollo, Peter Meven |
Rafael Kubelík, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra |
Audio CD: Decca Cat no. |
| 1999 | Inga Nielsen, Malin Hartelius, Peter Seiffert, Matti Salminen |
Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Zurich Opera |
DVD: Decca Cat. No. |
[edit] Derivative works
Franz Liszt prepared a piano transcription of the overture in 1846 (S.575).
The Black Rider, a stage musical by Robert Wilson, Tom Waits, and William S. Burroughs, is based on Der Freischütz.
Magic Hunter (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0109356/), a Hungarian film, that places the story to present times, where Max (Gary Kemp) is a police marksman.
[edit] In Popular Media
In the anime and manga series Hellsing, the character Rip van Winkel is seen singing Der Freischütz and often comparing herself to the character Kasper and the main character Alucard to Zamiel, who kills her.
[edit] Media
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[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Recording of "Wie nahte mir der Schlummer...Leise, leise" by Lotte Lehmann
- Der Freischütz: Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project.
- Stanford discography, accessed 18 March 2009
- description of ELPE-Musique edition of Berlioz' recits (in German with audio samples)
