Sources
- The Viking Opera Guide ed. Holden (Viking, 1993)
- The Penguin Guide to Opera on Compact Discs (1993)
Drot og marsk (King and Marshal) is an opera by the Danish composer Peter Heise. The libretto, by Christian Richardt, is based on Carsten Hauch's play Marsk Stig (1850). The opera was first performed at the Royal Theatre, Copenhagen, on 25 September 1878.
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast |
|---|---|---|
| King Erik | tenor | |
| Marshal Stig | baritone | |
| Fru Ingeborg | soprano | |
| Rane Johnsen | tenor | |
| Count Jakob | baritone | |
| Jens Grand | bass | |
| Arved Bengsten | tenor | |
| Aase | soprano | |
The opera is based on the true story of the murder of the Danish king Eric Glipping in 1286. The king is an inveterate womaniser and when he seduces Ingeborg, the wife of Marshal Stig, the marshal organises a conspiracy to kill him. Stig is banished and Ingeborg commits suicide.
Eric V Klipping was King of Denmark from 1259 to 1286. After his father Christopher I died, his mother Margaret Sambiria ruled Denmark in his name until 1266, proving to be a competent regent. Between 1261 and 1262, the young King Eric was a prisoner in Holstein following a military defeat. Afterwards, he lived in Brandenburg, where he was initially held captive by John I, Margrave of Brandenburg.
Eric VI Menved was King of Denmark (1286–1319). A son of King Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg, he became king in 1286 at age 12, when his father was murdered on 22 November by unknown assailants. On account of his age, his mother ruled for him until 1294.
Heise may refer to:
Stig Andersen Hvide was a Danish nobleman and magnate, known as the leading man among the outlaws after the murder of King Eric V of Denmark. In Danish tradition, he is known as Marsk Stig.
Seneschal of the Realm, Riksdrots (Swedish), Rigsdrost (Danish), or Valtakunnandrotsi (Finnish) is a Danish and Swedish name of a supreme state official, with at least a connotation to administration of judiciary, who in medieval Scandinavia was often a leader in the government.
Peter Heise was a Danish composer, best known for the opera Drot og Marsk.
Hvide was a medieval Danish clan, and afterwards in early modern era a Danish noble surname of presumably one surviving branch of leaders of that clan. Before the 16th century it was not used as surname. It signified the color white.
Eva Johansson is a Danish operatic soprano.
Christian Richardt was a Danish writer. He wrote the libretto for the opera Drot og marsk by Peter Heise.
Hjelm is a small Danish unpopulated island located in the Kattegat 10 km (6 mi) south-east from Ebeltoft.
Frans Andersson was a Danish bass-baritone who sang major roles at the Cologne Opera, La Scala, Vienna Opera, Berlin State Opera, and Bayreuth.
The Marsk, from 1536 the Rigsmarsk, was in Denmark the head of the armed forces from the beginning of the 13th century until the introduction of the absolute monarchy in the 1660s. It was the third highest office in the country after the Steward of the Realm and the Chancellor. The Rigsmarsk was appointed by the king from among Danish-born nobles. During some periods, the king chose to leave the office vacant and instead personally lead the military. This was the case from 1380/81 and until 1440.
Lone Herman Koppel is a Danish operatic soprano who for some 30 years was one of the leading opera singers at Copenhagen's Royal Theatre. Among her memorable performances was her 1964 appearance in Puccini's Tosca, which was broadcast on Danish television.
Bent Norup was a Danish operatic heldenbaritone. He was a member of the Royal Danish Theatre and opera houses in Germany, and appeared internationally, especially in stage works by Richard Wagner, including his signature role Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. He also performed in contemporary opera and in concert. He was appointed a knight of the Order of the Dannebrog.
Hortensia (Tenna) Kristine Sofie Erogine Kraft née Frederiksen (1885–1954) was a Danish operatic soprano. One of the Royal Danish Theatre's outstanding sopranos in the early 20th century, she sang in operas by Wagner, Verdi, Puccini and Richard Strauss. She gained particular success in 1926 with the title role in Siegfried Salomon's Danish opera Leonora Christina which included the popular Der er tre hjørnestene.
Ingeborg Steffensen was a Danish mezzo-soprano opera singer who made her début at the Royal Danish Theatre in 1915 as Annchen in Carl Maria von Weber's Jægerbruden. She was particularly successful in the title role of Carmen, as Dalila in Samson and Delilah and Azuncena in Il trovatore. She also sang the soprano Fru Ingeborg in Peter Heise's Danish opera Drot og marsk. After her retirement from the stage in 1956, she continued to give concerts and sang oratorios.
Birgitte Sigrid Frieda Engell née Engel (1882–1973) was a German-born Danish operatic soprano who initially performed in operas in Wiesbaden and Berlin before moving to the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen. After the First World War she increasingly specialized in concerts, giving recitals in several European countries and North America until the early 1930s. In later life she settled in Copenhagen where she taught voice.
Else Marie Schøtt was a Danish operatic soprano who performed at the Royal Danish Theatre from 1919 until she retired from the stage in 1951. Initially she frequently stood in for Tenna Kraft but became increasingly recognized as a significant performer in her own right, taking key roles in the works of Mozart, Verdi and Wagner as well in several Danish operas. In 1941, she played the title role in Paul von Klenau's Danish première of Elisabeth von England to wide acclaim. Schøtt was also a successful teacher, with pupils including Ruth Guldbæk and Tove Hyldgaard.
Ebba Anna Elisabeth Wilton, also Ebba Dane, née Pedersen (1896–1951) was a Danish operatic soprano who sang at the Royal Danish Theatre from 1924 to 1949. The foremost coloratura singer of her generation, her principal roles included Olympia in The Tales of Hoffmann, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, Gilda in Rigoletto and Ännchen in Der Freischütz. She made guest appearances in Berlin, Paris and Riga. Her recordings from 1924 to 1928 are now available as a CD.
Lilly Lamprecht née Camradt (1887–1976) was a Danish operatic soprano. She made her début at the Royal Danish Theatre in 1911 in the title role of Liden Kirsten. Her roles included Madame Butterfly, Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro and Micaëla in Carmen. She left the company in 1931 but returned in 1933 to perform Marguerite in Faust. Lamprecht was honoured as a Royal Chamber Singer in 1922.
