Ritter Blaubart

Ritter Blaubart (Knight Bluebeard) is a fairy-tale opera (German: Märchenoper) in three acts by the Austrian composer Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek. Herbert Eulenberg wrote the German libretto, based on his own five-act play with the same title, which had been first performed unsuccessfully at the Lessing Theater in Berlin in 1906.[1]

Ritter Blaubart
fairy-tale opera by Emil von Reznicek
Translation	Knight Bluebeard
Librettist	Herbert Eulenberg
Language	German
Based on	Ritter Blaubart by Eulenberg
Premiere	29 January 1920 (1920-01-29) Staatstheater Darmstadt

Composition history

Reznicek's first sketches date from the autumn of 1915. Eulenberg revised the text of his play in consultation with the composer, reducing the number of acts to three (the original acts one and two, and the original acts four and five were both condensed to one act). Several cuts were made, and a few minor scenes were eliminated. This resulted in the story becoming much more focused on the psychology and pathological character of the title figure. Reznicek composed the music during 1917-18.[1] The score was published by Universal Edition Vienna.[2]

Performance history

After an unsuccessful attempt to get the opera staged in Berlin in 1918 (despite the support of Richard Strauss), it was first performed on 29 January 1920 at the Staatstheater Darmstadt, with Michael Balling conducting and Johannes Bischoff in the title role.[2] The same year, further performances took place at the Berlin State Opera (first performance on 31 October 1920 conducted by Leo Blech, followed by a further twenty-six performances during the following six years),[1] and also in Vienna and Leipzig.[3]

Roles

Role	Voice type[2]	Premiere cast 29 January 1920 (Conductor: Michael Balling)
Knight Bluebeard (Ritter Blaubart)	baritone	Johannes Bischoff
Count Nikolaus (Graf Nikolaus)	bass
Werner, his son	tenor
Judith, his daughter	soprano
Agnes, his daughter	soprano
Josua, Bluebeard's blind servant	tenor
The Pastor (Der Pfarrer)	bass
Hinz, a graverobber	bass
Ratte, a graverobber	tenor

Instrumentation

The orchestral score requires:

• 5 flutes, 3 oboes, 5 clarinets, 3 bassoons;
• 8 horns, 6 trumpets, 6 trombones, 2 tubas;
• timpani, percussion (3 players), 3 harps, celesta, lute (or guitar);
• strings (violins I, violins II, violas, violoncellos, double basses).[2]

Recordings

In 2003 CPO released the world premiere recording. This recording was made in March 2002 with Michail Jurowski conducting the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, and baritone David Pittman-Jennings in the title role.[4][5]

References

1. Salge, Matthias (2003). Ritter Blaubart (CD liner). Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek. CPO. 999899-2.
2. "Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek - Ritter Blaubart". Universal Edition AG Vienna. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
3. Lamb, Andrew (1997) [1992]. Sadie, Stanley (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, Volume Three. London: Macmillan Reference Limited. p. 1303. ISBN 0-333-73432-7.
4. Christopher Fifield (June 2003). "CD review - Emil Nikolaus van Reznicek: Ritter Blaubart". MusicWeb International. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
5. Robert Levine. "CD review - Emil Nikolaus van Reznicek: Ritter Blaubart". Classics Today. Retrieved 7 December 2010.