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Music Text

Libretto by Peter Schütze (G)

Scoring

2S,M,A,2T,B;
2.picc.2.2.2-2.2.1.0-perc(2)-harp-strings

Abbreviations (PDF)

Publisher

Anton J. Benjamin / Simrock

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

Availability

World Premiere
11/04/1990
Detmold
Florian Zwipf, director
Conductor: Hans-Werner Pintgen
Company: Landestheater Detmold

Roles

CLEMENS STECKEL Bass
JAN STECKEL, his son Tenor
ELFRIEDE STECKEL, his wife Mezzo Soprano
SABINE Soprano
VOGEL, Steckel's lawyer Tenor
MANRICO COSCIOTTI, owner of a delicatessen restaurant Bass
LUSIA, his wife Contralto
MIRELLA, his daughter Soubrette Soprano
Synopsis

A wealthy estate owner and broker has made a reputation as a writer and pseudo-philosopher. In the idyllic seclusion of the Italian Alps, he pretends to have nothing but contempt for life. His family knows of his hypocritical ideology. Eventually, he is seduced by a young girl who pretends that she wants to become his pupil. She makes him sign a document in which he passes on his fortune to his family. He does not suspect that this enthusiastic girl is his son’s fiancée. Now the ‘philosopher’ has no choice but to actually experience contempt for life – due to his financial situation.

Moods

Comic, Poetic

Subjects
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