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Music Text

Libretto by Wilhelm Hermann (G)

Scoring

S,A,T,BarB,,2speaking roles,silent role;
1.0.1.tsax.1-1.1.1.0-perc-pft-strings;
wind band version (1979): 1.0.1.Ebcl.bcl.asax.1-0.1.0.1-perc-pft

Abbreviations (PDF)

Publisher

Boosey & Hawkes / Bote & Bock

Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes for the world.

Availability

World Premiere
21/07/1963
Mannheim
Company: Unknown

Roles

BARHOLOMÄUS FALTENREICH, singing teacher Baritone
FREDDY SPÜRER, concert artists' agent Tenor
FALTENREICH'S STUDENTS Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass
POSTMAN silent role
STAGE WORKER speaking role
DIRECTOR FROM THE AUDIENCE speaking role
Time and Place

Rehearsing stage in a theatre, present time

Synopsis



The singing teacher Bartholomäus Faltenreich is awaiting the graduates of his opera class on the rehearsing stage of the town theatre. In a few moments, the dress rehearsal for the graduation performance is to begin here. The orchestra has already taken its seats, but the future ‘chaste divas’ and ‘splendid tenors’ are conspicuous by their unpunctual absence. Slowly the ensemble gathers, scherzando con piacere, according to the motto: the world is a stage, and we are the actors. Faltenreich’s admittedly hypocritical pretension that a perfect singer has to be a person without blemish or blame who subordinates his ego subserviantly to his art, fails miserably because of reality. That in turn is governed by commerce. A concert artists’ agent, a director and a stage worker destroy self-complacent illusions.

Moods

Comic, Tragic

Subjects
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