Die sieben Raben
Oper in drei Akten (Gesamtausgabe, Bd. 11) op. 20
Rheinberger was inspired to compose his first opera by the great cycle of aquarelles entitled “Von den Sieben Raben” (Of the Seven Ravens) by the painter Moritz von Schwind (1804–1871), with whom he was acquainted. The libretto by Franz Bonn (1830–1904) follows in its essentials the story depicted in these pictures, rather than the Grimm fairytale of the same name. The work had its successful world première, conducted by the composer, on 23 May 1869 at the Königliche Hof- und Nationaltheater in Munich.
After the second performance in Munich, on the 8 September 1869, a reviewer wrote in the Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung: “The composer was able to express the enchantment of the story, its high-spirited simplicity and deep feeling, with great skill, and the lyrical passages of the opera provide the most positive proof of Rheinberger’s talent.”
Possibly Engelbert Humperdinck, who was a pupil of Rheinberger in Munich from 1877 until 1879, was inspired by Die sieben Raben to compose his fairy tale opera Hänsel und Gretel (1893), which helped this genre to achieve great success.
Contents
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Composer
Josef Gabriel Rheinberger
| 1839-1901During the second half of the 19th century Rheinberger, who was born in 1839 in Vaduz (Liechtenstein), was a major figure of European stature. In demand as a teacher of composition and esteemed as a composer, this professor at the Munich Conservatoire and Bavarian Court Kapellmeister made his mark on a whole generation of musicians. The fact that many of his compositions were no longer performed after his death in 1901, despite their high musical qualities, was largely a result of external circumstances. The change of aesthetic orientation which began about the turn of the century led to a radical move away from the conservative-classical ideals to which Rheinberger – like Brahms – had felt himself committed. It was also a fact that Rheinberger never publicized his own works vigorously. The Josef-Rheinberger-Archiv and Carus published a complete edition of works by Josef Gabriel Rheinberger for the first time. The edition, concluded in 2009, has contributed significantly to the fact that the music of this composition teacher and Bavarian Court Kapellmeister from Munich can once again be heard around the world today. Personal details
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Songwriter / Librettist
Franz Bonn
| 1830-1894
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