Lortzing

What better legacy could an opera-house director leave behind him than a string of excellent theatrical productions! Rolf Liebermann (1910-1999), who was actually a composer, certainly succeeded in doing this – particularly during the 14 years from 1959 to 1973 that he spent in charge of Hamburg State Opera. During the Liebermann era the company in this northern German city embarked on a new artistic and administrative course that had - and still has - an impact on the entire operatic scene in central and Western Europe. It is significant in terms of Rolf Liebermann’s artistic credo that he selected Joachim Hess’ 1969 production of Zar und Zimmermann to be included amongst the august ranks of his 13 opera films.

Albert Lortzings Opern werden leider heute nur noch selten gespielt. Das ist schade, denn zum einen lassen sie sich mit relativ geringem Aufwand sehr effektvoll auf die Bühne bringen - Lortzing war selber Schauspieler und Spieltenor, wusste also, was er sich und seinen Kollegen zumuten durfte.

A CD with orchestral works by Albert Lortzing should primarily include a CD with overtures to his operas. In addition to his stage works, which include interlude arias and incidental music, Lortzing almost exclusively composed works set to texts (choral works and art songs). In Leipzig, Lortzing soon realised that composing for publishers was a difficult, if not hopeless under­ taking — but nevertheless he was involved with it in the final year of his life — and he quickly became aware of the clear separation between the theatre and the Gewandhaus (Orchestra). “The orchestra is subservient to the music lovers’ concerts (which are important, of course) and the theatre, which brings the most income, is a secondary matter. If the Musikverein wants to pres­ent a concert, and the theatre director wants to present an opera at the same time, then the concert has first pri­ority and the opera audience has to be content with substitute orchestra members; I repeat — the theatre brings in 4 times as much money to the orchestra as the Musikverein. –“ (Lortzing’s letter to Anton Schindler in February 1834).

A CD with orchestral works by Albert Lortzing should primarily include a CD with overtures to his operas. In addition to his stage works, which include interlude arias and incidental music, Lortzing almost exclusively composed works set to texts (choral works and art songs). In Leipzig, Lortzing soon realised that composing for publishers was a difficult, if not hopeless under­ taking — but nevertheless he was involved with it in the final year of his life — and he quickly became aware of the clear separation between the theatre and the Gewandhaus (Orchestra). “The orchestra is subservient to the music lovers’ concerts (which are important, of course) and the theatre, which brings the most income, is a secondary matter. If the Musikverein wants to pres­ent a concert, and the theatre director wants to present an opera at the same time, then the concert has first pri­ority and the opera audience has to be content with substitute orchestra members; I repeat — the theatre brings in 4 times as much money to the orchestra as the Musikverein. –“ (Lortzing’s letter to Anton Schindler in February 1834).

A CD with orchestral works by Albert Lortzing should primarily include a CD with overtures to his operas. In addition to his stage works, which include interlude arias and incidental music, Lortzing almost exclusively composed works set to texts (choral works and art songs). In Leipzig, Lortzing soon realised that composing for publishers was a difficult, if not hopeless under­ taking — but nevertheless he was involved with it in the final year of his life — and he quickly became aware of the clear separation between the theatre and the Gewandhaus (Orchestra). “The orchestra is subservient to the music lovers’ concerts (which are important, of course) and the theatre, which brings the most income, is a secondary matter. If the Musikverein wants to pres­ent a concert, and the theatre director wants to present an opera at the same time, then the concert has first pri­ority and the opera audience has to be content with substitute orchestra members; I repeat — the theatre brings in 4 times as much money to the orchestra as the Musikverein. –“ (Lortzing’s letter to Anton Schindler in February 1834).