Casanova (opera)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Work data
Title: Casanova
Shape: weird opera
Original language: German
Music: Albert Lortzing
Libretto : Albert Lortzing
Literary source: Casanova au Fort Saint-André by Voirin ea
Premiere: Dec 31, 1841
Place of premiere: City Theater Leipzig
Place and time of the action: Murano island in the mid- 18th century
people
  • Johann Jacob Casanova de Seingalt, officer ( tenor )
  • Busoni, in command of Fort St. André ( bass )
  • Rosaura, his niece ( soprano )
  • Gambetto, a rich Venetian (bass)
  • Rocco, jailer in the fort (bass)
  • Bettina, his daughter (soprano)
  • Peppo, turnkey, Bettina's groom (tenor)
  • Fabio, an innkeeper (speaking role)
  • Population of the island of Murano, ball guests, masks, guards, gendarmes, soldiers, gondoliers ( choir )

Casanova is a comic opera (game opera ) in three acts by Albert Lortzing , who also wrote the libretto . The literary model was the French vaudeville " Casanova au Fort St.André " by Charles Voirin , Étienne Arago and Armand Chapeau with music by Alexandre Pierre Joseph Doche .

Performances

The world premiere took place on December 31, 1841 at the City Theater in Leipzig . Although the opera was well received by the audience, because it is witty and funny and also contains a pinch of mockery of the nobility, the police and the rich bourgeoisie, further performances were hindered precisely for this reason by the group of people parodied in this way. Lortzing itself fell out of favor at times. Only a few theaters included the work in their repertoire, despite its successful premiere, and it was more and more forgotten in the period that followed. Even today it is usually only performed on the occasion of special commemorative years by Lortzing. In 2010 the opera was performed at the Klagenfurt City Theater as well as in Neuzelle , Beeskow and Frankfurt (Oder) .

action

Johann Jacob Casanova de Seingalt, a dashing officer, causes a great deal of confusion among the people of Murano because he wants to go to a duel at the fortress of St. André . The appearance of this attractive man and heartbreaker immediately causes excitement in women, especially Bettina, the charming daughter of the jailer Rocco. As a result, various entanglements, suspicions and arrests arise. Casanova is also interested in a masked lady behind whom Rosaura, the niece of the fortress commander Busoni, is hiding. Since she is supposed to marry the rich Venetian Gambetto, Casanova dares to escape from captivity in order to be close to her.

literature

  • Casanova. In: Georg Richard Kruse : Albert Lortzing (= Famous Musicians. Life and Character Pictures with an Introduction to the Works of the Masters. Volume VII). Harmonie, Berlin 1899 ( online in the Internet Archive ).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb39498762k
  2. ^ City Theater Klagenfurt
  3. Märkische Zeitung