Gernot (opera)
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Gernot |
| Original title: | Gernot |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Eugen d'Albert |
| Libretto : | Gustav Kastropp |
| Premiere: | April 11, 1897 |
| Place of premiere: | Mannheim |
| Playing time: | about 2 hours |
| Place and time of the action: | On Lake Constance, before the Roman Wars |
| people | |
Gernot is an opera in three acts by Eugen d'Albert . Gustav Kastropp wrote the libretto. The opera's premiere was on April 11, 1897 at the Hoftheater Mannheim .
action
first act
King Gernot wanders through the woods in search of a beautiful maiden whom he saw in the mountains. His path is made more difficult by fairies who tease him in clouds of mist. Her queen appears in a crystal grotto and wants Gernot as king by her side. In her realm of Nilfheim, she is often bored and longs for love from a companion. But Gernot refuses, because he is looking for an earthly woman and longing for her. The queen tries to win him over with temptations like the Erlkönig, but Gernot refuses. The fairy queen curses King Gernot to unhappy love and death. Then she fizzles out with her subjects. Gernot faints.
Nearby, Mabod leaves his father's house to make the world happy with heroic deeds. His sister Helma wants to hold him back. She once swore that she would never covet a man and only belong to her brother. Echoes of Sigmund's love for his sister Sieglinde in the Nibelungen saga shimmer through. When he leaves, Helma asks Mabod to at least release her for a man she once saw in the mountains. Mabod reluctantly lets her go and goes out into the world.
Gernot meets the lonely, and both recognize each other as the one sought. Immediately they fervently declare their eternal love. Helma recognizes by Gernot's jewelry that he is the king, and you can hear the army horn shouting in the distance. Helma's father, the aged, blind Hubald, comes out of the house and calls for the daughter, who immediately jumps over and introduces her new lover. Gernot applies to marry. The old man hardly manages to answer when Mabod comes and brings Buggo and his ambassadors. He has been looking for his king for a long time. Hubald and Helma are happy about the royal bridegroom, and the men swing their swords and shields cheerfully in view of one or the other pot of mead for the wedding feast.
Second act
General celebratory mood at the royal court. Hubald takes Gernot into his confidence and reveals Gernot under the condition that Mabod is neither inaugurated nor that he is not his son, but that of King Wulf, who was once killed by Gernot. Queen Waltrudis, who was pregnant at the time, gave birth to Mabod and abandoned him at Hubald's. Despite his assurances to the old man, Gernot has sinister intentions and plans to wipe the only scion of the warring house from the earth as well.
He visits Mabod, who is still in a sullen mood about Helma. Gernot extends his hand to the brotherhood and lets him swear by the gods on the throne and the king's life. Mabod's resentment dissolves and he promises to be a loyal follower.
Helma comes into the hall, and soon afterwards a priest and his entourage to hold the wedding ceremony in front of Wotan's altar. On the sidelines, Baggo seeks a conversation with Mabod and reveals his belief that he is the son of King Wulf, who was very popular with the people. His look and the blond curls reminded him strongly of the former ruler. The despot and murderer Gernot is generally outlawed, and people are loyal to him just to keep up appearances. Mabod reacts dismayed and with disbelief, but his curiosity is aroused: he asks the strange old witch Waltraudis, who, after a few prophetic phrases, reveals herself to him as a mother. She incites him to murder the king. Mabod reminds us of his oath of loyalty, but the sinister mother reminds us that Gernot Wulf also swore and killed him anyway. Mabod is full of conflict and frustration. He has just lost his sister to his father's murderer, and then he has sworn an oath of allegiance to him.
Third act
King Gernot keeps watch with his advisors. Only Mabod has been missing for days. Hubald brings news that he is resting in the mountains with his men and Helma knows to report that he may be planning to instigate an uprising against Gernot. Gernot sends Buggo to meet Mabod and bring him dead or alive. Priests bless the weapons, but before Buggo can set off with his people, Waltrudis intervenes. She prophesies Gernot's downfall and the return of Wulf's only heir - all men get into an astonished turmoil. When Gernot remembers Mabod's oath, Waltrudis breaks it:
"I break the oath, the oath pass away, the oath fluttered, like that oath that you swore, to King Wulf, to King Wulf, - whom you killed."
As soon as Gernot can order the old woman to be tied up and gagged, Mabod and his horde appear on the horizon. He demands vengeance and his rights as king. When Gernot tries to blackmail him with the life of his mother, Buggo changes sides and protects the king mother. Mabod challenges Gernot to a duel, in which he is killed. Helma throws herself painfully on his corpse, Mabod is crowned on site and carried away on a shield by the cheering men. He throws one last touched look at Helma, who is consoled by Hubald with the fact that they want to bury the body at their hut.
When they have both left, the elves come and carry Gernot to their queen, who receives him with open arms. The ring of fate closes like the curtain.
literature
- Eugen d'Albert: Gernot. Opera in three acts . Libretto. Breitkopf u. Härtel, Leipzig 1897 ( urn : nbn: de: hebis: 30-1096797 ).
- Charlotte Pangels: Eugen d'Albert: wonder pianist and composer. A biography. Atlantis, Zurich / Freiburg i. Br. 1981, ISBN 3-7611-0595-9 .
Web links
- Gernot : Sheet music and audio files in the International Music Score Library Project
- Work data on Gernot based on MGG with discography at Operone