King deer
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | King deer |
| Original title: | King deer |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Hans Werner Henze |
| Libretto : | Heinz von Cramer |
| Literary source: | “Il ré cervo” by Carlo Gozzi |
| Premiere: | Abridged version: September 23, 1956, complete version: May 5, 1985 |
| Place of premiere: | 1. Berlin, 2. Stuttgart |
| Playing time: | approx. 5 hours (in the complete version) |
| Place and time of the action: | Southern landscape in a fairytale time |
| people | |
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König Hirsch is an opera in three acts by Hans Werner Henze . The libretto for this comes from Heinz von Cramer and is based on the fairy tale game Il ré cervo by Carlo Gozzi . The work had its world premiere on September 23, 1956 at the Deutsche Oper Berlin , but only in a fragmentary version. The success was only moderate. The opera took place for the first time almost three decades later, on May 5, 1985 in the Great House of the Württemberg State Theater in Stuttgart , this time with great success. Hans Hollmann took care of the production. Dennis Russell Davies was at the desk .
action
place and time
The opera is set in a southern landscape - a kind of Venice between forest and sea - in fairytale times.
first act
After the king of the country died, his son was supposed to take the throne. But this was still a child, and so it was easy for the fascist governor to usurp the power himself. Without further ado he abandoned the prince in the forest and hoped that he would be a welcome prey for the wild animals. But everything turned out very differently: The animals took care of the child and raised it.
Many years have now passed. The child has grown into a handsome youth. Now is the time for him to take his rightful inheritance. The animals escort the young man to the city where he is to be crowned king. With a heavy heart they say goodbye to their former protégé. The power-hungry governor watches the spectacle suspiciously. However, he cannot prevent the enthronement from taking place. Soon afterwards he intends to have the king murdered. He has chosen Coltellino as a tool for this. But this is not only quite weak in spirit, but also extremely timid. So it is understandable that the governor's plan is doomed to failure.
The young ruler decreed that in his kingdom all young girls of marriageable age had to speak to him so that he could choose one of them as his bride. No one is more pleased about this decree than the cheeky Scollatella, a woman who has the gift of quadrupling. The king, however, does not really like any of the Scollatellen. Rather, his heart warms to a very humble, lovable girl from the people. It's love at first sight for both of them.
And again the governor is making terrible plans for murder. Now he wants to harness this young woman for his own purposes. He slips her a dagger and tells her to ram it in the king's chest at the earliest opportunity. When the girl refuses to carry out the terrible deed, the governor accuses her of wanting to murder the king and throws her into dungeon. After hearing this the king demands the immediate release of the prisoners. But the governor refers him to an old law that requires the death penalty in such cases. Under these circumstances the king no longer wants to keep his office. He tears the crown from his head and hands it over to the governor. He returns to the forest with a parrot. The nasty governor achieved his goal without killing.
Second act
The governor has doubts as to whether he acted correctly when he let the king go into the forest. Who guarantees him that he will not return to the castle? Angry about the inability of the murderer Coltellino he had hired, he now wants to take matters into his own hands. Armed with a sharp knife, he goes into the forest. No sooner has he spotted the king than he hurls his knife at him. With presence of mind, the parrot throws itself in front of the king and catches the knife with its plumage.
The dreamy boy Checco misses his parrot. He suspects that the animal followed the king into the forest. That's why he sets out to look for the bird. He finds him badly injured, but can barely save him. Then he learns from the parrot the magic spell with which one can transform: “What transforms can help. Only those who kill are threatened. What doesn't kill transforms. What threatens helps. "
The governor sees Checco that he is surrounded by a secret. Under threat of violence, he forces him to reveal the spell to him. In the eyes of his parrot, Checco recognizes what the governor and the king he admires are up to. He is dismayed to see how the king is turned into a deer by his tormentor. The governor himself uses the spell for himself in such a way that he takes the form of the king. But this does not prevent him from abandoning his plan to kill the hated rival. He orders his hunters to mercilessly pursue the deer and bring it down. Suddenly the trees in the forest come together and form a wall that protects King Hirsch from his pursuers.
Third act
King Hirsch longs for the girl for whom his heart is aflame and whom he still believes in prison. Therefore he leaves the protective forest and goes into the city. A feeling of desolation weighs on it. Weeds overgrown the houses; its residents make a sad impression. King Hirsch's features only lighten up again when he sees the beloved girl in freedom. The latter is afraid of the big animal, but cannot shake the impression that it has a secret with it.
After King Hirsch has continued on his way, the false king approaches the girl and flatters her. However, the young woman feels that this is not her lover, even if he appears in his guise. She brusquely rejects the intrusive and runs away.
The people marvel at the proud stag that has lined up in the middle of the large square. He is surrounded by an aura that casts a spell over everyone. The false king looks suspiciously at the behavior of his subjects. He draws a gun and aims at the animal. At the same moment the wind spirits appear. They cause the hired murderer Coltellino, who has also pointed a pistol at the stag, now directs it at the despot. Immediately a shot goes off and knocks down the hated governor.
King Hirsch slowly approaches the corpse. Now he thinks the time has come to transform himself back into his original form with the magic formula of the parrot. The people breathed a sigh of relief when they saw their new ruler. The beautiful youth extends his hand to the girl he loves. Weddings are celebrated to the cheers of the people. Everyone feels that this is the beginning of a better time.
music
According to a review by Horst Koegler, what is particularly impressive is “the variety of her musical means, which Henze poured out of a cornucopia over this deep and only sometimes a little weak-minded and darkly wavering libretto. There are the most delicate lyricisms, sometimes Elizabethan, sometimes Neapolitan, next to Zerbinetta-flavored coloratura, parodistic "Carmen" quotes next to the nocturnal weaving of the forest, rabid Strawinsky compact rhythms next to extravagant Strauss cantilenas, blaring pennies next to the artful, far-horned madrigals Harpsichord, mandolin and guitar chirps, whirring celestial harmonies next to brutally triumphant brass. But overall this is a rather delicate, filigree spun music that flatters the voices of the singers and does not subject them to any hardness or endurance test. "
Web links
- Action by King Hirsch at Opera-Guide landing page due to URL change currently unavailable
- Work data on König Hirsch based on MGG with discography at Operone
- King Hirsch in the Tamino Classic Forum
Individual evidence
- ↑ Horst Koegler in the Stuttgarter Zeitung of May 7, 1985