Franz Jägerstätter (Opera)

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Work data
Title: Franz Jägerstätter
Shape: Opera in ten pictures
Original language: German
Music: Viktor Fortin
Libretto : Gerd Linke
Premiere: September 22, 2007
Place of premiere: Graz
Playing time: approx. 1 ¾ hours
people

Franz Jägerstätter is an opera by the composer Viktor Fortin , which was composed in memory of the conscientious objector Franz Jägerstätter , who was executed by the National Socialists .

Opera stuff

Inspired by the Graz opera singer Wolfgang Müller-Lorenz, Viktor Fortin and the Styrian librettist Gerd Linke wrote the text for the opera Franz Jägerstätter . The letters of her husband approved by Jägerstätter's wife Franziska and the book Franz Jägerstätter by Erna Putz served as the basis for the material of the libretto .

The constant act of conscience and the consistent resilience form the basic structure of the opera's content. The opera tells the impressive story of the simple farmer and sacristan from the Innviertel , whose conscience did not allow him to do military service for the Hitler regime. The devout Catholic not only had the intelligence to see through Hitler's inhuman Nazi regime , but also the courage to oppose the prevailing opinions of his fellow men. Franz Jägerstätter was beheaded in August 1943 and his wife Franziska was ostracized until the 1960s.

In Franz Jägerstätter's personality, the uncompromising faith is evident in this work. This strong belief arouses him the willingness to go to the extreme for his convictions and still appear tolerant towards other people who think differently.

music

From a musical point of view, Viktor Fortin skilfully mixes the singable, “catchy ears” with contemporary elements. Furthermore, he inserts very popular melodies into the music of the 21st century , which are supposed to express the simplicity of simple rural beliefs. In the 8th and 9th image the personality Franz Jägerstätter with a solo viola characterized, which, according to Viktor Fortin modesty and unobtrusiveness - at markelloser tonal beauty - is the person. Wolfgang Müller-Lorenz outlines the composer as a “newcomer with the courage to play melody”.

action

The opera is divided into ten images that flow into one another. In order to make the musical and scenic break between the rural idyll and the Hitler regime radically comprehensible, the composer chose the church convention in St. Radegund for the first picture . Since the church day scene at the performance location was not possible for technical reasons, the family scene took its place.

  1. Family scene: Franz rehearses the song with his daughters: I am the resurrection and the life .
  2. Franz and Franziska - The draft : In the following picture, the very loving and peaceful atmosphere in the Jägerstätter house is disturbed by the arrival of the draft order.
  3. Voices in the municipality : The third picture describes the political and human clash of opposing characters at the municipal council meeting in Radegund.
  4. Conversation with the bishop - dream narration : At the climax of the opera, Jägerstätter reports to the Bishop of Linz Josephus Calasanz Fließer about his dreams, which were interpreted against National Socialism , with which he met with complete horror ( two gentlemen, the script says, one cannot serve! ).
  5. The farewell - at the train station : The couple's farewell is associated with many feelings of fear and sadness.
  6. Monologue Franz - doubt and final decision : Fig. 6 describes Jägerstätter's strong doubts about his attitude towards National Socialism . However, an appearance by his wife Franziska leads him back on his own path.
  7. Quarrel with mother-in-law : Franziska accuses her daughter-in-law of having encouraged Franz to leave his family and go to death. So Franziska decides to go to Berlin to change her husband's mind, although she is fully aware that she will not succeed.
  8. Military tribunal - the verdict : In the court hearing , Jägerstätter earned himself great respect through his self-confident demeanor, but was still sentenced to death.
  9. The letter - Franziska and the children : The penultimate scene takes place again in the Jägerstätter house. Franziska reads her husband's last letter to her three daughters.
  10. The walk to the place of execution : the final scene suggests the execution of Jägerstätter. With the canon sung a cappella , the choir contributes to increasing the effect of this “walk into the light”.

premiere

Under the musical direction of Manfred Mayrhofer, the opera was premiered on September 22, 2007 in the Graz Franciscan Church (director: Paul Flieder ). The support association for contemporary music Musica forte took over the organization of this project.

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