Repertory of the Vienna Court Opera under Gustav Mahler

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The Vienna Hofoper (now Staatsoper), pictured in 1898 during Mahler's conductorship Staatsoper (ca.1898).jpg
The Vienna Hofoper (now Staatsoper), pictured in 1898 during Mahler's conductorship

The Repertory of the Vienna Court Opera under Gustav Mahler is an account of the ten years during which Gustav Mahler held the office of director and when he directed the productions of more than 100 different operas, of which 33 had not previously been staged at the Hofoper and three were world premieres. Another 55 were presented in either entirely new or substantially revised productions. In all, almost 3,000 performances took place at the Hofoper during Mahler's tenure, [1] of which Mahler conducted more than 600.

Contents

Mahler, well known as a symphonic composer, joined the Vienna Court Opera (the Hofoper) in May 1897 as a staff conductor and director-designate, pending confirmation of his appointment as director. After his confirmation in October 1897, he remained in the post until his resignation in November 1907.

Conducting duties were shared among staff conductors whose numbers included at various times Gustav Brecher, Johann Nepomuk Fuchs, Joseph Hellmesberger, Jr., Karl Luze, Hans Richter, Franz Schalk, Francesco Spetrino, Bruno Walter and Alexander Zemlinsky. [1]

At the start of Mahler's tenure, stage designs were under the control of Anton Brioschi, the Hopfoper's official designer since 1886, and his assistant Heinrich Lefler. [2] However, from 1903, new designs were increasingly the work of Alfred Roller, a member of the Secessionist group of artists into which circle Mahler had been introduced by his wife Alma. [3] Roller was appointed to the Hofoper from June 1903; [2] his innovative and experimental stage designs have been called "more remarkable than [Mahler's] additions to the repertoire". [4]

Operas performed, 1897–1907

Performances of existing repertory works

The following operas were in the Hofoper repertory when Mahler assumed the directorship in 1897. Each had one or more revivals during the period of Mahler's tenure. Most of these older productions were significantly revised under Mahler; in some instances, entirely new productions of the works were mounted. The list does not included ballets or other entertainments.

Opera titleComposerTotal performances
1897–1907
NotesRefs
Africaine, L' Meyerbeer, Giacomo 19 [5]
Aida Verdi, Giuseppe 84New production from 11 May 1903 [5]
Am Wörther SeeKoschat, Thomas6 [5]
Ballo in Maschera, Un Verdi, Giuseppe29Revised production from 5 March 1898
Second revision from 19 May 1906
[5]
Barbiere di Siviglia Rossini, Giaochino 16Revised production from 25 December 1906 [5]
Bartered Bride, The Smetana, Bedřich 57Revised production from 20 September 1899, designed Anton Brioschi [5]
Carmen Bizet, Georges85Revised production from 26 May 1900,
designed Brioschi
[5]
Cavalleria rusticana Mascagni, Pietro 131 [5]
Cosi fan tutte Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus 8New production from 4 October 1900,
designed Brioschi. Second new production from 24 November 1905, designed Alfred Roller
[6]
Dame blanche, La Boieldieu, François-Adrien 24Revised production from 4 October 1898 [6]
Don Giovanni Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus25New production from 21 December 1905, designed Roller [6]
Dragons de Villars, Les Maillart, Louis-Aimé 13Revised production from 21 April 1899 [6]
Entführung aus dem Serail, Die Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus18New production from 29 January 1906,
designed Roller
[6]
Ernani Verdi, Giuseppe6New production from 2 October 1902 [6]
Euryanthe Weber, Carl Maria von 10New production from 19 January 1903, designed Roller. Revised production from 19 January 1904 [6]
Evangelimann, Der Kienzl, Wilhelm 34 [6]
Faust Gounod, Charles 90 [6]
Fidelio Beethoven, Ludwig van 45New production from 4 February 1904,
designed Roller
[6]
Fille du régiment, La Donizetti, Gaetano 4Revised production from 6 September 1899 [6]
Fledermaus, Die Strauss, Johann 91 [6]
Fliegende Holländer, Der Wagner, Richard 55Revised production from 4 December 1897,
designed Brioschi
[6]
Fra Diavolo Auber, Daniel 14Revised production from 28 September 1899, designed Brioschi [6]
Freischütz, Der Weber, Carl Maria von43Revised production from 21 October 1898 [6]
Goldene Kreuz, Das Brüll, Ignaz 9Revised production from 6 June 1902 [6]
Götterdämmerung Wagner, Richard44Revised production (uncut version) from 4 September 1898 [6]
Guillaume Tell Rossini, Gioachino48New production from 11 May 1905, designed Brioschi [6]
Gute Nacht Herr Pantalon Grisar, Albert 2 [6]
Hamlet Thomas, Ambroise 2 [7]
Hans Heiling Marschner, Heinrich 13 [7]
Hänsel und Gretel Humperdinck, Engelbert 57 [7]
Heimchen am Herd, Das Goldmark, Karl 20 [7]
Huguenots, Les Meyerbeer, Giacomo41New production from 29 October 1902, designed Brioschi [7]
Iphigénie en Aulide Gluck, Christoph Willibald 6New production from 18 March 1907, designed Roller [7]
Juive, La Halévy, Fromental 19New production from 13 October 1903, designed Brioschi [7]
Königin von Saba, Die Goldmark, Karl51Revised production from 29 April 1901, designed Brioschi [7]
Legende der Heilige Elisabeth, Die Liszt, Franz 10 [7]
Lohengrin Wagner, Richard123New production from 27 February 1906, designed Roller [7]
Lucia di Lammermoor Donizetti, Gaetano21Revised production from 9 October 1899 [7]
Lustigen Weiber von Windsor, Die Nicolai, Otto 28New production from 4 October 1901, designed Brioschi [7]
Manon Massenet, Jules 40Revised production from 26 May 1905, designed Roller [7]
Martha Flotow, Friedrich von 7Revised production from 4 May 1901 [7]
Meistersinger von Nürnberg Wagner, Richard82Revised production (uncut version) from 26 November 1899 [7]
Mignon Thomas, Ambroise83 [7]
Muette de Portici, La Auber, Daniel5Revised production from 27 February 1907, designed Roller [7]
Nachtlager in Granada, Das Kreutzer, Conradin 6 [7]
Norma Bellini, Vincenzo 11Revised production from 24 January 1898 [7]
Nozze di Figaro, Le Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus52New production from 30 March 1906, designed Roller [7]
Orphée et Eurydice Gluck, Christoph Willibald7 [7]
Otello Verdi, Giuseppe9Revised production from 3 May 1907 [7]
Pagliacci Leoncavallo, Ruggero 137 [7]
Le postillon de Longjumeau Adam, Adolphe 5Revised production from 4 February 1904 [7]
Poupée de Nuremberg, La Adam, Adolphe1Revised production from 24 April 1899 [7]
Prophète, Le Meyerbeer, Giacomo21Revised production from 5 March 1907 [8]
Rheingold, Das Wagner, Richard42New production from 23 January 1905, designed Roller [8]
Rienzi Wagner, Richard27 [8]
Rigoletto Verdi, Giuseppe36Revised production from 20 May 1899 [8]
Robert le diable Meyerbeer, Giacomo13Revised production from 20 March 1898 [8]
Roméo et Juliette Charles Gounod 14Revised production from 21 November 1897 [8]
Siegfried Wagner, Richard49 [8]
Tannhäuser Wagner, Richard89Revised production (uncut version) from 11 May 1901 [8]
Traviata, La Verdi, Giuseppe10 [8]
Tristan und Isolde Wagner, Richard45New production from 21 February 1903, designed Roller [8]
Trompeter von Säkkingen, Der Nessler, Victor 17 [8]
Trovatore, Il Verdi, Giuseppe48Revised production from 26 October 1900 [8]
Waffenschmied, Der Lortzing, Albert 7Revised production from 4 January 1904, designed Brioschi [8]
Walküre, Die Wagner, Richard50New production from 4 February 1907 [8]
Werther Massenet, Jules7Revised production from 12 May 1906 [8]
Widerspenstigen Zähmung, Der Goetz, Hermann 9New production from 3 November 1906, designed Roller [8]
Wildschutz Lortzing, Albert5Revised production from 27 January 1900 [8]
Zar und Zimmermann Lortzing, Albert28Revised production from 11 September 1897 [8]
Zauberflöte, Die Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus46New production from 1 June 1906, designed Roller [8]

New works introduced to the Hofoper under Mahler

The following is a chronological list of the 33 new operas introduced to the Hofoper by Mahler.

Hofoper first nightOpera titleComposerFirst night conductorDesignerTotal performances
1897–1907
NotesRefs
4 October 1897 Dalibor Smetana, Bedřich Gustav Mahler Anton Brioschi23 [6]
19 November 1897 Eugene Onegin Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich Gustav MahlerAnton Brioschi20 [6]
22 January 1898 Djamileh Bizet, Georges Gustav Mahler19 [6]
23 February 1898 Bohème, La Leoncavallo, Ruggero Gustav MahlerAnton Brioschi6 [5]
9 December 1898 Donna Diana Reznicek, Emil von Gustav Mahler7 [6]
17 January 1899Kriegsgefangene, Die Goldmark, Karl Gustav Mahler6World premiere [7] [9]
10 February 1899 Opernprobe, Die Lortzing, Albert Gustav MahlerAnton Brioschi25 [7]
10 February 1899 Speziale, Lo Haydn, Joseph Gustav MahlerAnton Brioschi7 [8]
27 March 1899 Der Bärenhäuter Wagner, Siegfried Gustav Mahler20 [5]
23 October 1899 Dämon, Der Rubinstein, Anton Gustav Mahler5 [6]
22 January 1900 Es war einmal Zemlinsky, Alexander Gustav Mahler12World premiere [6] [10]
22 March 1900 Iolanta Tchaikovsky, Pyotr IlyichGustav MahlerAnton Brioschi and others9 [7]
16 May 1900 Fedora Giordano, Umberto Franz Schalk 3 [6]
13 November 1900Bundschuh, Der Reiter, Josef Gustav Mahler5 [5]
18 March 1901Lobetanz Thuille, Ludwig Franz SchalkAnton Brioschi6 [7]
29 January 1902 Feuersnot Strauss, Richard Gustav MahlerAnton Brioschi12Mahler conducted revised production from 5 June 1905 [6]
28 February 1902Dot Mon, Der Forster, Josef Gustav MahlerAnton Brioschi11World premiere [6] [11]
4 October 1902 Zaide Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Bruno Walter Anton Brioschi3 [8]
9 December 1902 Pique Dame Tchaikovsky, Pyotr IlyichGustav MahlerAnton Brioschi30 [7]
24 March 1903 Louise Charpentier, Gustave Gustav MahlerAnton Brioschi24 [7]
11 November 1903 Contes d'Hoffman, Les Jacques Offenbach Gustav MahlerAnton Brioschi108 [5]
25 November 1903 Bohème, La Puccini, Giacomo Francesco SpetrinoAnton Brioschi61 [5]
18 February 1904 Corregidor, Der Wolf, Hugo Gustav MahlerAlfred Roller7 [6]
3 May 1904 Falstaff Verdi, Giuseppe Gustav MahlerAlfred Roller13 [6]
14 November 1904 Lakmé Delibes, Léo Bruno WalterAlfred Roller26 [7]
28 February 1905 Abreise, Die Albert, Eugen d' Gustav Mahler8 [5]
28 February 1905Das war ich Blech, Leo Gustav Mahler5 [6]
6 May 1905 Rose vom Liebesgarten, Die Pfitzner, Hans Gustav MahlerAlfred Roller18 [8]
4 October 1905 Donne curiose, Le Wolf-Ferrari, Ermanno Gustav MahlerAlfred Roller12 [6]
4 October 1906 Juif polonais, Le Erlanger, Camille Bruno WalterAnton Brioschi3 [7]
28 November 1906Flauto SoloAlbert, Eugen d'Franz SchalkAlfred Roller4 [6]
11 May 1907 Samson et Dalila Saint-Saëns, Camille Bruno WalterAlfred Roller7 [8]
31 October 1907 Madama Butterfly Puccini, GiacomoFrancesco SpetrinoAlfred Roller14 [7]

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 De La Grange, Vol. 3 pp. 391–94
  2. 1 2 De La Grange, Vol. 2 p. 516
  3. Franklin, Peter (2007). Macy, Laura (ed.). "Mahler, Gustav". Oxford Music Online. Retrieved 21 February 2010. (7. Vienna 1897–1907)
  4. Blaukopf, p. 168
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 De La Grange, Vol. 3 p. 941
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 De La Grange, Vol. 3 p. 942
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 De La Grange, Vol. 3 p. 943
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 De La Grange, Vol. 3 p. 944
  9. De La Grange, Vol. 2 p. 139
  10. De La Grange, Vol. 2 pp. 221–22
  11. De La Grange, Vol. 2 p. 486

Sources