Hidden treasures - Carl Maria von Weber - Oberon (1826) - Selected highlights

Description

Painting: "Constantinople at dusk" by Felix Zeim. History (based on Richard Wigmore's essay for the present recording): The great acclaim with which the European audience met "Der Freischutz" instantly propelled Weber to the heights of the continent's musical life. This new-found renown led to a number of engagements, ultimately culminating in a commission from the manager of the London Covent Garden, Charles Kemble, for a new opera, based on the legend of Oberon ("Faust" was dismissed). Weber, despite being in the final stages of consumption, accepted the task, spending much of 1825 in composition and even taking extensive English lessons. By the time the composer arrived to England in mid-February 1826, "Oberon" was substantially complete, save for the overture and some changes requested by the original cast. The premiere, on the 12th of April, 1826, was an unmitigated triumph (in Weber's words, "such an honor as England has never before extended to a composer"), and the work was quickly taken up by most of the world's leading theatres, reaching Leipzig by 1826 (whereupon it was translated to the usually performed German), Prague by 1828, Paris by 1830. Sadly, Weber was not able to witness this success, as he succumbed to his illness just two months after the premiere, expiring on the night of the 5th of June, 1826. Narrative: Even considering the secondary position of drama in the operatic genre, "Oberon", based on Wieland's 1780 epic poem, is a tremendously <b>...</b>

Keywords

romantic, opera, classic, Weber, Oberon, Shakespeare

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