Der Rattenfänger von Hameln
Der Rattenfänger von Hameln (The Rat-Catcher of Hamelin or The Piper of Hamelin) is a grand opera (Grosse Oper) in five acts by Viktor Nessler. The German libretto was by Friedrich Hofmann based on a romantic poem by Julius Wolff.
Performance history
The opera was first performed at the Neues Stadttheater in Leipzig, on 19 March 1879. The first performance in America was at the Thalia Theatre, New York City on 28 April 1886 under John Lund.[1]
The premiere in Vienna was given in 1897, which the critic Eduard Hanslick attended. He regarded the opera as over long and old fashioned.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, March 19, 1879 (Conductor: Arthur Nikisch ) |
|---|---|---|
| Hunold Singuf, the rat-catcher | baritone | |
| Bertholdus de Sunneborne, the bailiff | bass | |
| Heribert de Sunneborne, son of Bertholdus, in love with Regina | tenor | |
| Ethelerus, a clerk, also in love with Regina | tenor | |
| Gertrud, a fisher-girl | soprano | |
| Wulf, a smith, in love with Gertrude | baritone | |
| Isfried Rhynperg, canon | bass | |
| Wichard Gruwelhot, the mayor | bass | |
| Regina, the mayor's daughter | soprano | |
| Dorothea, Regina's cousin | contralto | |
Synopsis
This is the 13th century tale of Hunold Singuf, the "pied piper" who rids the town of Hamelin of its rats. Hunold is not suitably rewarded by the townspeople, and they pay a terrible price when he lures all the children away and they disappear.
Sources
- Amadeus Almanac
- Franklin, Peter (1992), 'Rattenfänger von Hameln, Der' in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London) ISBN 0-333-73432-7