Vikerlased

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Opera dates
Title: The Vikings
Original title: Vikerlased
(also Wikerlased )
Shape: Opera in three acts (version of the world premiere)
Original language: Estonian
Music: Evald Aav
Libretto : Voldemar Loo
Premiere: September 8, 1928
Place of premiere: National Theater of Estonia
Playing time: approx. 2 ¼ hours
Place and time of the action: Saaremaa Island, Estonia; Sigtuna, Sweden (third picture); 1187
people
  • Vaho, the village elder ( bass )
  • Juta, his daughter ( soprano )
  • Ülo, a young warrior ( tenor )
  • Vaike, Ülos foster sister (soprano)
  • Olav, Swedish Prince of Sigtuna ( baritone )
  • Hietark, seer of the secret grove, also the wise one (bass)
  • First Ambassador (tenor)
  • Second ambassador (bass)
  • Elder Warrior (Bass)
  • A castle servant (tenor)
  • Warriors, girls, people, lock servants ( choir )

Vikerlased (also Wikerlased , German Die Wikinger ) is an opera in three acts . It consists of five pictures with pauses after the second and third picture (version of the world premiere ) with music by Evald Aav and a libretto by Voldemar Loo. Evald Aav's main work is considered to be the first Estonian national opera , as it deals with an Estonian, historical theme and is also written in Estonian . It is Aav's only opera, a historical-romantic stage work in three acts. It represents the relationship between Estonians and Swedes .

Plot based on the 1942 version of the Estonia Theater

The following description of the plot is printed in a German-language program booklet from the Estonia Theater from 1942. It differs in the course of the world premiere. Instead of five pictures as in the world premiere, there are five pictures and an epilogue. The scene in which Olav loses his mind has been cut.

First picture - On the playing field

The young warrior Ülo, winner of a competition, is presented with the wreath by Juta, the daughter of Elder Waho. Vaho appears with two messengers from the neighboring church and orders the women into the village. At the council of war, the messengers report attacks and ask for help in a retaliatory campaign. Vaike, the foster sister Ülos, rushes over and reports about a Viking all over the village. Juta and other women have been kidnapped. The men set out to save the village, but they are too late.

Second picture - At the sacrificial stone

Ülo sings of his love for Juta and the plan to save her in an aria alone. Vaho appears with his warriors and hands over the management of the rescue trip to Sweden. After Hietark's approval and a solemn ceremony in which Hietark prophesies the positive outcome of the trip, Vaho Ülo advises to be strict and relentless towards the enemy. He promises Ulö if Juta is successfully rescued as his wife. When the warriors leave, Vaike asks Ulö out of love not to go to war. But since the love for Juta and his sense of duty prevail, he hurries away. Vaike's greatness is shown in the following scene. Although she believes that Ülo has been lost to herself, she prays for Ülo and Juta to return.

Third picture - At Olaf's festivals in Sigtuna

Olav keeps Juta prisoner in a dungeon of his fortress in Sigtuna. Juta longs for home. Olaf enters. He woos Juta, who rejects him. Then Olav decides to take it by force. But messengers bring the news that the Estonians are storming the city. Olaf rushes into battle. A symphonic picture accompanies the scene. The leitmotifs Ulös and Olavs are processed. Juta sht from her window and asks the gods for a victory for their people. The Estonians win under Ulös's leadership and take the castle. Ulö is about to kill Olav. But Juta's requests to spare him confuse him. On the one hand he promised Vaho not to spare any enemy, on the other hand he does not want to refuse Juta's request. He takes Olav prisoner to hand him over to Vaho's judgment. Ulö and Juta hug each other.

Fourth image - In the castle of Vaho

The victorious warriors return home. The people cheer. Vaho thanks Ulö and gives him Juta as his wife. A bride dance is performed in honor of Juta and a war dance in honor of Ulös.

Fifth picture - In the Ulös house

After a love duet between Jutas and Ulös, Ulö is called to Vaho. Then Olav, who has now fled, enters. He thinks Juta has warmer feelings for him because she asked for his life. He asks her to help him and go to Sweden with him. But Juta refuses and calls for help. Vaike rushes over, but hesitates. She sees another chance of a life with Ulö. But she attacks Olav with a dagger. He fends off the attack, wrests the weapon from Vaike and stabs the approaching Ulö. On the run, Olav is captured.

Epilogue - In the place of cremation

Juta sings a lament near Ulös's corpse. At the behest of Vaho, who appears with the warriors and villagers, Ulös's corpse is cremated.

layout

Instrumentation of the orchestra

music

The plot and the musical composition contain elements of great Italian opera. Although Aav does not use folk songs, the national style is very reminiscent of it. The harmonies are handled by the composer in an individual way and the main characters are accompanied by networked leitmotifs . He also composed impressive choral scenes, such as the popular warrior choir “Läki, läki!”.

history

Emergence

Evald Aav sang from the age of 16 from 1916 to 1926 as tenor in the Opera Choir of the Estonian National Opera. During this time he took private piano lessons with Helmi Vitol-Mohrfeldt, music theory with Anton Kasemets and composition lessons at the Tallinn Conservatory with Artur Kapp . His work in the opera choir allowed him to get to know various operas and their scores, but also dramaturgical weaknesses and practical problems. The great Italian romantic opera made a great impression on him. He loved the emotional, expressive melodies. In the 1922/23 theater season he was so enthusiastic about a performance of the opera Aida by Giuseppe Verdi that he decided to write a great opera based on themes from Estonian history.

Voldemar Loo, a journalist and poet, prepared a libretto on request. On October 1, 1927, the newspaper Päewaleht reported under "News from the Music Sector " that Evald Aav had written an opera Wikerlased . On February 24, 1928, excerpts were performed in a gala concert on the tenth anniversary of the Republic of Estonia in the Estonia Concert Hall in Tallinn.

The world premiere took place on September 8, 1928 at the Estonia National Opera in Tallinn . Hanno Kompus directed the film. It was conducted by Raimund Kull . The set was by Aleksander Tuurand and the costumes by Olga Oboljaninova-Krümmer. The soloists of the evening were Karl Viitol as Vaho, Ida Loo as Juta, Karl Ots, the father of the Estonian singer Georg Ots , as Ulö, Marta Rungi as Vaike, Aleksander Arder as Olav and Nikolaj Suursööl as Hietark. The first ambassador sang Alexander Kikas, the second ambassador Jaan Villaard, the older warrior Kaljo Raag and the castle servant Herman Pihl.

reception

Press reviews after the premiere

Two days after the premiere, Esmaspäev wrote the following: “The performance was completely sold out. Even in the first picture, the audience reacted enthusiastically with ovations that didn't want to end. The author received special praise - the young Evald Aav, who finally appeared on stage with the librettist Voldemar Loo. They received flowers like the actors. ”One day later, on September 11th, the Postimees wrote a lengthy review of Tuudur Vettik .

Aav was a recognized composer and popular in Estonia during his time. The reactions to the premiere were positive. The production brought about 22 performances, which were impressive for the time. Aav's opera served as a model and encouraged other composers to work in this genre. Individual numbers are still often performed in concerts, especially in Estonia.

Vikerlased as the National Opera of Estonia

Vikerlased is the first Estonian opera to be publicly proclaimed as the Estonian National Opera. There have been previous attempts to compose an Estonian national opera, but none has been perceived in this way by the public, and none has been portrayed to this extent. Important factors for perception as a national opera are the Estonian language and the subject from Estonian history. The Italian model, Verdi's Aida, and echoes of Puccini did not and do not stand in the way. No Estonian opera since has been able to contest Vikerlased's status as national opera.

Versions of the opera

The five-act version of the premiere was played in a version with six pictures as early as 1935. The fourth picture has been divided into two pictures, and in the sixth picture Olav has his grand entrance at Ulös's grave, which ends in madness. In the 1942 version, the sixth picture is renamed Epilogue, and Olav's appearance is completely deleted. Olav's final scene was also missing from the version of the opera at the Vanemuine Theater in Tartu in the 1950s. Without this scene, however, the opera loses its dramaturgical balance. From the final scene, only Juta's lament at Ulös's cremation, the rite of lighting the fire and the lament of the people remained.

Discography

  • Evald Tordik (Vaho, bass), Lehte Mark (Juta, soprano), Endel Ani (Ülo, tenor), Valentina Hein (Vaike, soprano), Viktor Taimre (Olav, baritone), Enn Raa (Hiietark, bass), Ernst Kruuda , Arli Jõgi, Ants Känd, Johannes Kade; Vanemuine Tartu Theater Choir and Orchestra ; Head of Jaan Haargel, Chorltg. Valdeko Viru; 1959; Recording of the Estonian Radio in the auditorium of the University of Tartu; 1979 restored version of the Estonian radio; 1997 digitally remastered by Estonian radio; SE&JS; 1997.
  • Scenes and arias from Vikerlased; Lehte Mark (Juta, soprano); Endel Ani (Ülo, tenor); Valentina Hein (Vaike, soprano); Jüri Pärg (Olav, baritone); Vanemuine Tartu Theater Choir and Orchestra; Head of Jaan hair gel; Melodia D-08021-2; 1961.

literature

  • Kristel Pappel: National Identity Embedded in an International Artform: The Role of Opera in Estonian Culture. In: Hans van Maanen, Andreas Kotte, Anneli Saro: Global Changes - local Stages: How Theater Functions in Smaller European Countries. Rodopi; 2009; ISBN 90-420-2613-8 . ( english )
  • CD booklet, recording, of Estonian Radio from 1997; 1959 (Estonian and English)

Web links

Programs

Others

  • Vikerlased
  • Evald Aav and Vikerlased Estonian Radio broadcast on Aav's 65th birthday in 1965, with sound samples
  • Evald Aav Estonian Music Information Center: biography, works, sound samples: Duett Juta, Ulö; Choir of Warriors “Läki, läki!”; Discography of CD recordings with numbers from the opera
  • Evald Aav and Vikerlane from the Estonian Broadcasting Archive: Documentary by the Estonian Broadcasting Corporation ERR about Evald Aav (Estonian) with many pictures and historical music examples, under "Sisukirjeldus" the exact process with time information and explanation of the pictures and music examples (Estonian)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Kirje vaatamine :: Käsikirjad, pisitrükised :: Registrid :: Aire. Retrieved February 18, 2017 (Estonian).
  2. ↑ a b c d e f Evald Aav - looming. Retrieved February 5, 2017 .
  3. ^ A b c Hans van Maanen, Andreas Kotte, Anneli Saro: Global Changes - Local Stages: How Theater Functions in Smaller European Countries . Rodopi, 2009, ISBN 90-420-2613-8 ( google.de [accessed on February 18, 2017]).
  4. ↑ Kirje vaatamine :: Käsikirjad, pisitrükised :: Registrid :: Aire. Retrieved February 18, 2017 (Estonian).
  5. ↑ Kirje vaatamine :: Käsikirjad, pisitrükised :: Registrid :: Aire. Retrieved February 18, 2017 (Estonian).
  6. ↑ Kirje vaatamine :: Käsikirjad, pisitrükised :: Registrid :: Aire. Retrieved February 19, 2017 (Estonian).
  7. ↑ Uudieseid muusika alalt . In: Päewaleht . No. 267 . Tallinn October 1, 1927, p. 6 (Estonian, digar.ee ).
  8. ↑ Piduli Counterattack . In: Estonia konsertbüroo (ed.): Kaja . No. 46 . Tallinn February 24, 1928, p. 20 (Estonian, digar.ee ).
  9. ^ Art Media Agency OÜ, http://www.artmedia.ee : Aav, Evald | Estonian Music Information Center. Retrieved February 5, 2017 .
  10. ↑ Eesti ooperi tatsikul . In: Emaspäev . No. 37 . Tallinn September 10, 1928, p. 3 (Estonian, digar.ee ).