King Stag (König Hirsch)
(English by Maria Massey Pelikan)
Commissioned by the Städtische Oper Berlin
Period of composition 1953-56
Duration 240 minutes
Dedication:
Act I: Sir William and Lady Walton
Act II: Giuseppina d’Avalos
Act III: Nuria and Luigi Nono
World premieres
Fragmentary world premiere September 23rd, 1956
Berliner Festwochen · Städtische Oper
Production: Leonard Steckel
Stage design Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Conductor Hermann Scherchen
First transmission October 4th, 1957
RAI · Orchestra e coro di Torino della RAI
Chiormaster Ruggero Machini
Conductor Nino Sanzogno
Scenic world premiere May 5th, 1985 Stuttgart
Württembergische Staatsoper
Production Hans Hollmann
Stage design Hans Hoffer
Costume design Frida Parmeggiani
Chiormaster Ulrich Eistert
Conductor Dennis Russell Davies
Comment
Baroque mechanical theatre, surrealism, the circus, theatre unleashed, music unleashed.
Indian myth of the changing human mind, transformation, metamorphosis. Princes and clowns appear, usurpers, brought down by sleepy marksmen, liberators and lovers.
“King Stag” is an opera about freedom In its original form this piece should only be performed in its entirety with no cuts of any sort.
Hans Werner Henze
Cast
The scene is set in a southern European landcape – a Venice between woods and sea
| soprano lirico spinto | the girl | |
| Scollatella | soprano leggero | a lady of parts |
Scollatella II | soubrette |
|
Scollatella III | mezzosoprano |
|
Scollatella IV | contralto |
|
| soprani (ragazzi o donne) | the two statues |
| alto | a lady in black |
| tenore eroico | the king |
Checco | tenore buffo | a dreamy lad |
Coltellino | tenore buffo | a shy murderer |
| baritono eroico | the governor |
| soprano, mezzosoprano ,contralto, tenore e basso | voices of the forest |
Die Erfinder |
| clowns singing ad lib. |
| personaggio muto | the stag |
| ballerino | the parrot |
| coro | the women |
| personaggi muti | people, thugs, hunters, soldiers, animals, spirits |
Instrumentation
| 3 Flauti | 3° anche Ottavino | |
| 2 Oboi | ||
| 1 Corno inglese | ||
| 2 Clarinetti | ||
| 1 Clarinetto basso | ||
| 2 Fagotti | ||
| 1 Controfagotto | ||
| 4 Corni | ||
| 3 Trombe | 3° anche Tromba piccola antica in do (ad lib.) | |
| 2 Tromboni | ||
| 1 Tuba | ||
| Timpani | ||
| Percussione | Triangolo Piatti sospesi Piatti a due Tamtam 3 Tomtom Tamburino Tamburo piccolo Tamburo militare Grancassa (con e senza il piatto) Claves, Maracas Legno, Legnetti Campane da rumba Glockenspiel Xilofono Campane tubolari [per 7] | |
| Arpa | ||
| Celesta | ||
| Pianoforte | ||
| Organo | ad lib. | |
| Clavicembalo | ||
| Fisarmonica | ||
| Chitarra | ||
| Mandolino | ||
| Archi | ||
Sul palco
1 Flauto
1 Clarinetto
4 Corni
3 Trombe
Triangolo
Piatto sospeso
Piatti a due
Tamburino
2 Tamburi piccoli
Tamburo militare
Grancassa
Glockenspiel
Vibrafono
Campanelli
10 Campane tubolari
Celesta
Organo
Mandolino
1 Violino