Lear (opera)

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Opera by Aribert Reimann

title: "Lear (opera)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1978-operas", "operas-by-aribert-reimann", "german-language-operas", "operas", "operas-based-on-king-lear", "opera-world-premieres-at-the-bavarian-state-opera"] description: "Opera by Aribert Reimann" topic_path: "geography/germany" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lear_(opera)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Opera by Aribert Reimann ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox opera"]

FieldValue
nameLear
composerAribert Reimann
imageLear at Hamburgische Staatsoper 2012 - Photo No 2 by Brinkhoff-Moegenburg.jpg
image_upright1.1
captionErwin Leder as the Fool and Bo Skovhus as Lear in a 2012 production at the Hamburg State Opera
librettistClaus H. Henneberg
languageGerman
based_on
premiere_date
premiere_locationNational Theatre Munich
::

| name = Lear | composer = Aribert Reimann | image = Lear at Hamburgische Staatsoper 2012 - Photo No 2 by Brinkhoff-Moegenburg.jpg | image_upright = 1.1 | caption = Erwin Leder as the Fool and Bo Skovhus as Lear in a 2012 production at the Hamburg State Opera | librettist = Claus H. Henneberg | language = German | based_on = | premiere_date = | premiere_location = National Theatre Munich Lear is an opera in two parts with music by the German composer Aribert Reimann, and a libretto by Claus H. Henneberg, based on Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear.

Background and performance history

Reimann wrote the title role specifically for the baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who had suggested the subject to the composer as early as 1968. Reimann then received a commission from the Bavarian State Opera in 1975. The world premiere, in a production by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle with Fischer-Dieskau in the title role, occurred at the National Theatre Munich on 9 July 1978, with Gerd Albrecht conducting.

The production was revived in Munich in 1980. The US premiere, in English translation, was presented by the San Francisco Opera in June 1981, with Thomas Stewart as Lear, under Gerd Albrecht. The Paris premiere took place in November 1982, in a French translation by Antoinette Becker. The UK premiere was presented by English National Opera in 1989; the Swedish premiere took place at the Malmö Opera on 27 April 2013 with Fredrik Zetterström as Lear.

Roles

One notable departure from operatic convention was to make the part of Lear's Fool a speaking role, rather than a sung role. In addition, compared to the Shakespeare original, the parts of Kent and Edmund, for example, have been greatly reduced.

::data[format=table] | url=http://www.schott-music.co.uk/shop/1/show,37200.html|title=Aribert Reimann – Lear|publisher=Schott Music|access-date=9 October 2010|archive-date=10 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121210062649/http://www.schott-music.co.uk/shop/1/show,37200.html|url-status=dead}} | Voice type | Premiere cast 9 July 1978 (Conductor: Gerd Albrecht) | |---|---|---| | Lear | baritone | Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau | | Fool | spoken role | | | Goneril, daughter of Lear | dramatic soprano | Helga Dernesch | | Regan, daughter of Lear | soprano | Colette Lorand | | Cordelia, daughter of Lear | soprano | Júlia Várady | | Duke of Albany | baritone | Hans Wilbrink | | Duke of Cornwall | tenor | | | King of France | bass-baritone | | | Duke of Gloucester | bass-baritone | Hans Günter Nöcker | | Edgar, son of Gloucester | tenor/countertenor | | | Edmund, illegitimate son of Gloucester | tenor | | | Earl of Kent | tenor | Richard Holm | | Servant | tenor | Markus Goritzki | | Knight | spoken role | Gerhard Auer | | Chorus: servants, guards, soldiers, Lear's and Gloucester's retinue | | | ::

Instrumentation

The orchestral score requires:

Recordings

References

References

  1. Graeme, Roland. (2001). "''Lear''. Aribert Reimann". The Opera Quarterly.
  2. Marker, Frederick J., "Theatre in Review: ''Lear'' (Aribert Reimann)" (March 1981). ''Theatre Journal'', '''33''' (1): pp. 112–114.
  3. Rockwell, John. (17 June 1981). "''Lear'' by Aribert Reimann". [[The New York Times]].
  4. Walsh, Michael. (29 June 1981). "Three Premieres, Three Hits".
  5. Commanday, Robert. (30 September 1979). "Reimann's ''King Lear'' – Hysterical Raw Emotion". [[San Francisco Examiner]].
  6. Lieblein, Leanore, "Theatre Review" (''Périclès, Prince de Tyr'' / ''Lear'') (May 1983). ''Theatre Journal'', '''35''' (2): pp. 262–263.
  7. Heyworth, Peter. (29 January 1989). "A Lear and a grope". [[The Observer]].
  8. Canning, Hugh. (24 January 1989). "Born of the thunder storm". [[The Guardian]].
  9. "Aribert Reimann – ''Lear''". [[Schott Music]].
  10. {{Almanacco
  11. Griffiths, Paul, Review: "Reimann. ''Lear''" (1980). ''[[The Musical Times]]'', '''121''' (1644): p. 107.

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1978-operasoperas-by-aribert-reimanngerman-language-operasoperasoperas-based-on-king-learopera-world-premieres-at-the-bavarian-state-opera