Penthesilea (Schoeck)

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Work data
Title: Penthesilea
Original language: German
Music: Othmar Schoeck
Libretto : Othmar Schoeck after Heinrich von Kleist
Premiere: January 8, 1927
Place of premiere: Dresden State Opera
Playing time: approx. 75 minutes
Place and time of the action: Battlefield at Troy
people

(Main parts in italics)

Penthesilea is a music theater work in one act based on the tragedy by Heinrich von Kleist , Opus 39 by Othmar Schoeck .

History of origin

Schoeck was enthusiastic about the material for a long time, in 1923 Hans Corrodi was commissioned to create a libretto for his work, which he explicitly did not call an opera . But Schoeck later wrote the libretto himself, which is largely based on the drama of the same name by Heinrich von Kleist , but which has been drastically shortened. The result was a one-act play based on the core scenes between Achilles and Penthesilea. Schoeck finished the work in 1925, it was premiered in 1927 at the State Opera in Dresden, the conductor was Hermann Ludwig Kutzschbach .

action

The army of the Amazons was dispersed by the Greeks. The hero Achilles defeats Penthesilea, her confidante Prothoe advises in vain to flee. She faints. Achilles appears and is interested in Penthesilea. Prothoe advises that he should pretend to be defeated when they wake up, because according to the laws of the Amazons, only those who have been defeated in battle may be taken as spouses. So it happens: Penthesilea wakes up, Prothoe tells her that she only dreamed of her defeat. Achilles and Penthesilea are now allowed to meet, a cautious love scene takes place. But Achilles tells her about his betrayal out of love , but she still protects him. Achilles announces another duel. But she misunderstood his intention, because he wants to come to her unarmed and let himself be defeated. Her love turns into bottomless hatred, she kills and tears Achilles. In the end, she becomes aware of what she did and commits suicide.

music

Schoeck orchestrated the opera for a large late romantic orchestra, but there are special decisions for or against certain instruments that produce a unique tonal effect. He played a total of 10 different clarinets , two pianos, a strong percussion and four solo violins, but the tutti violins are missing, so that the string sound in particular appears rather dull and deep.

Productions

Recordings