Der Widerspänstigen Zähmung
Der Widerspänstigen Zähmung (also: Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung) (English: The Taming of the Shrew) is a German-language comic opera in four acts by the German composer Hermann Goetz. It was written between 1868 and 1872 and first performed at the National Theatre Mannheim on 11 October 1874 under the conductor . The libretto, by and the composer, is based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The style of the opera shows Goetz turning away from the musical ideas of Richard Wagner towards the classicism of Mozart. Der Widerspänstigen Zähmung was a huge success, not only in Germany but in the United States and in Great Britain, where it received high praise from George Bernard Shaw.[citation needed]
Roles[]
Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, October 11, 1874 (Conductor: Ernst Frank) |
---|---|---|
Baptista, a rich gentleman of Padua | bass | Karl Ditt |
Katharine, Baptista's daughter | soprano | Ottilie Ottiker |
Bianka (Bianca), Baptista's daughter | soprano | Ida Auer-Herbeck |
Petruchio, a gentleman from Verona | baritone | Eduard Schlosser |
Grumio, Petruchio's servant | bass | |
Lucentio, Bianca's suitor | tenor | Carl Slovak |
Hortensio, Bianca's suitor | baritone | August Knapp |
Hortensio's wife | mezzo-soprano | |
A tailor | tenor |
Recordings[]
- Der Widerspänstigen Zähmung soloists, Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by Karl Elmendorff (Urania, 1944)
- Der Widerspanstigen Zahmung soloists, Chorus and
Orchestra, conducted by Joseph Keilberth (Profil, 2007)
Sources[]
- The Viking Opera Guide ed. Amanda Holden (Viking, 1993)
- Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "11 October 1874". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
- German-language operas
- Operas by Hermann Goetz
- 1874 operas
- Operas
- Operas based on The Taming of the Shrew