Fennimore and Gerda

Fennimore und Gerda (subtitled Two Episodes from the Life of Niels Lyhne in Eleven Pictures, RT I/8) is a German-language opera with four interludes, by the English composer Frederick Delius. It is usually performed and recorded in English, as Fennimore and Gerda in a translation by Philip Heseltine. The German libretto, by the composer himself, is based on the novel Niels Lyhne by the Danish writer Jens Peter Jacobsen. In neither German nor English is the libretto highly regarded; rather, the work is considered an "orchestral opera", limited in its dramatic appeal but voluptuous and engaging in its instrumental texture.[1]

Fennimore und Gerda
Opera by Frederick Delius
LibrettistFrederick Delius
LanguageGerman
Based onNiels Lyhne
by Jens Peter Jacobsen
Premiere
21 October 1919 (1919-10-21)
Oper Frankfurt

Delius began writing Fennimore und Gerda in 1908; he finished in 1910, but the premiere, intended for the Cologne Opera, was delayed by the First World War and did not take place until 21 October 1919, and then by the Oper Frankfurt. It was the composer's last opera. The United States premiere of the work was staged by the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in June 1981 with Kathryn Bouleyn as Fennimore and Kathryn Gamberoni as Gerda.[2]

Roles
Roles, voice types, premiere cast
Role Voice type Premiere cast, 21 October 1919
Conductor: Gustav Brecher[3][4]
Consul ClaudibassWalter Schneider
The Consul's wifemezzo-soprano
Fennimore, their daughtermezzo-sopranoEmma Holt
Niels Lyhne, Claudi's nephewbaritoneRobert von Scheidt
Erik Refstrup, Niels's cousintenorErik Wirl
A Squirebaritone
A Tax Collectorbaritone
A Tutortenor
A Brandy Distillerbaritone
A Doctortenor
Councillor Skinnerupbass
Gerda, his daughtersopranoElisabeth Kandt
Ingrid, his daughtersoprano
Lila, his daughtersoprano
Marit, his daughtersoprano
Maidservants, girls and farmhands

Synopsis
Place: Denmark
Time: Around 1860

Two cousins, the writer Niels Lyhne and the painter Erik Refstrup, are in love with the consul's daughter, Fennimore. She chooses Erik but the marriage begins to break down as a result of the artist's drinking and Fennimore embarks on an affair with Niels. Erik is killed in an accident and, overwhelmed with guilt, Fennimore breaks off the affair. The rejected Niels spends years travelling before he settles down and marries his neighbour's daughter, Gerda.

Recordings

References
  1. Boyden, Matthew; Kimberley, Nick (2002). Joe Staines (ed.). The Rough Guide to Opera. Rough Guides (3rd ed.). pp. 406, 408. ISBN 978-1-85828-749-2.
  2. Margaret Ross Griffel (2012). Operas in English: A Dictionary. Scarecrow Press. p. 170.
  3. Casaglia, Gherardo (2005)."Fennimore und Gerda, 21 October 1919". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
  4. Details at Boosey & Hawkes

Further reading
  • Holden, Amanda (ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001. ISBN 0-14-029312-4
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