Beethoven is probably the best known composer of one-and-done when it comes to operas. However, there were others, and on this week’s Sunday Opera (4/26 3:00 p.m.), we’re focusing on one of those: Robert Schumann’s 1850 work “Genoveva.”
He poured a great deal of himself into this opera that is loosely based on the life of Genevieve de Brabant, and when critics weren’t kind, he decided to “cut his losses” and never write another even though he had hoped to write other operas about some familiar figures like Lohengrin, Parsifal, the Nibelungen, and Til Eulenspiegel.
The opera libretto by Schumann and Robert Reineck is a prime example of German Romanticism. It follows Genoveva (Julia Faulkner) who becomes the focus of the revenge of a nurse named Margaretha (Renate Behle) who was dismissed by her Genoveva’s husband Count Siegfried (Alan Titus).
Siegfried’s head servant, Golo (Keith Lewis), is convinced to help Margaretha and tricks an old servant, Drago (Carl Schultz), to visit Genoveva’s bedchamber where Golo has stationed other servants. Genoveva is then accused of adultery, and the news is brought to Siegfried who orders Golo to put her to death. Margaretha is thrilled by this until the ghost of the murdered Drago, who was murdered in Genoveva’s bedchamber to ensure his silence, appears to Margaretha. He tells her that she will die a horrific death if she does not reveal the truth.
Genoveva is saved from the hands of the assassins, and Margaretha unveils the truth. Genoveva is forgiven (even though she didn’t do anything), and the opera ends happily.
Other members of the cast include Harald Stamm, Johann Tilli, and Carl Schultz. Gerd Albrecht conducts the Chorus of the Hamburg State Opera and The Hamburg State Philharmonic Orchestra.
We’ll continue with more music of Schumann after the opera with a piece that has been called an oratorio and a musical-theatre work, Scenes from Goethe’s Faust.
This three part work was written for soloists, boys’ choir, full choir, and orchestra and was completed between 1844 and 1853. There are three distinct sections centered on Goethe’s tale.
1. Gretchen’s Story
2. Faust’s Death & Redemption
3. Faust’s Transfiguration
This recording, made in Poland in 2009, features soloists Iwona Hossa, Christiane Libor, Anna Lubanska, Ewa Marciniec, Daniel Kirch, Jaakko Kortekangas, and Andrw Gangestad. They’re joined by the Warsaw Boys’ Choir and the Warsaw Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra. Antoni Wit conducts.
