# Did Schubert write an opera?



## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

I was just curious if Schubert ever attempted an opera? If so what was the name?


----------



## Stargazer (Nov 9, 2011)

He did indeed, it was called Fierrabras! I actually saw it a while back, I really enjoyed it. He also wrote Alfonso und Estrella, but I haven't personally listened to that one yet.


----------



## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

He wrote three: _Die Zwillingsbrüder_, _Alfonso und Estrella_, and _Fierrabras_.


----------



## Cnote11 (Jul 17, 2010)

He wrote more than that

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Franz_Schubert#Works_for_the_stage


----------



## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

Cnote11 said:


> He wrote more than that
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Franz_Schubert#Works_for_the_stage


Sorry, yes. The three that I listed above just appear to be his main ones. It seems that he wrote 16 in total. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/franz-schubert-q7951/works/opera


----------



## Cnote11 (Jul 17, 2010)

A member of this site has a site dedicated to Schubert. Check it out.

http://www.franzpeterschubert.com/opera__theatre.html


----------



## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

Schubert wrote operas, with some really excellent music, unfortunately it was straddled with weak libretto and lacking any dramatic depth, so they were a failure on his time. Schubert devoted himself in writing opera because in those days, having a hit opera will be sign of composer's good fortunes. Opera is only Schubert's weakest point but he composed one of his most beautiful compositions on stage, the Rosamunde incidental music.


----------



## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

I recommend the DVD of the Zurich opera's recent production of Fierrabras with Jonas kaufmann in the
title role conducted by Franz Welser-Most . The production is a bit bizarre; although the opera takes place mostly at the court of Charlemagne , it's set in Scubert's time with a piano and furniture big enough for Paul Bunyan, but it works somehow and the performance is excellent musically .
DG has a CD of Claudio Abbado's concert performance in Vienna from the late 80s, which is also excellent, but this may be hard to find .
I also remember the EMI recording of Alfonso & Estrella with Fischer-Dieskau, Theo Adam, Hermann Prey, Peter Schreier and Edith Mathis (what a cast!) conducted by the late Otmar Suitner fondly . I heard it long ago when LPs and dinosaurs were still around . I believe it's been reissued oin CD recently.
Check arkivmusic.com, by far the best site on the internet to get hard-to-find classical CDs.


----------



## Moira (Apr 1, 2012)

I didn't know any of this. Great thread. I will see if our library has any recordings of these.


----------



## AlanPalgut (Apr 11, 2012)

Franz wrote nineteen operas, nine of which were ultimately deemed abandoned, unfinished or lost, and only three of which were performed in his lifetime. _Alfonso und Estrella_ and _Fierrabras_ are his two best known, but they are too far from successful to enter the repretoire.


----------



## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

Honestly the story doesn't matter to me that much. Schubert seems like he would have been great at opera writing...


----------



## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

Manok said:


> Honestly the story doesn't matter to me that much. Schubert seems like he would have been great at opera writing...


He would! If he have given the proper chance to revise his operas and he would given enough time to live. Unfortunately, Schubert died at the age of 31.. He was planning to write for the stage, if he would survive his illnes. But it is not the case..


----------



## fpschubert (Mar 25, 2012)

List of works for opera & theatre:

Der Spiegelritter, D. 11, operetta (Act I only)
Des Teufels Lustschloss, D. 84, opera
Der vierjährige Posten, D. 190, singspiel
Fernando, D. 220, singspiel
Claudine von Villa Bella, D. 239, singspiel
Adrast, D. 137, opera (fragment only
Die Freunde von Salamanka, D. 326, singspiel
Die Bürgschaft, D. 435, opera in 3 acts (unfinished)
Die Zwillingsbrüder, D. 647, singspiel
Die Zauberharfe, D. 644, melodrama
Sakuntala, D. 701, unfinished opera
Alfonso und Estrella, D. 732, opera in 3 acts
Fierrabras, D. 796
Die Verschworenen, D. 787, comic opera (singspiel)
Rosamunde, D. 797 (incidental music)
Der Graf von Gleichen, D. 918 (unfinished)

Cheers

fpschubert
http://www.franzpeterschubert.com


----------



## Operadowney (Apr 4, 2012)

I believe even his most devout fans would agree that Schubert was plagued with an unfortunate lack of dramatic sense. His operas aren't particularly good.


----------



## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

Operadowney said:


> I believe even his most devout fans would agree that Schubert was plagued with an unfortunate lack of dramatic sense. His operas aren't particularly good.


Yeah.. He lacked dramatic sense. As one of his devoted fans, I agree with your assessment. Schubert is such a master in intimate settings such as Lieder but when writing opera, he seems to be wandering. At least, he tried, unlike Brahms....


----------

