''Amor und Psyche'' is an opera (''

singspiel A Singspiel (; plural: ; ) is a form of German-language music drama, now regarded as a genre of opera. It is characterized by spoken dialogue, which is alternated with ensembles, songs, ballads, and arias which were often strophic, or folk-like ...

'') in four acts composed by

Ludwig Abeille Johann Christian Ludwig (Louis) Abeille (20 February 1761 in Bayreuth – 2 March 1838 in Stuttgart) was a German pianist, organist, conductor, music teacher and composer. Life His father was baronial valet and his mother was Christine Louise ...

to a German ''

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

'' by Franz Carl Hiemer (1768–1822). Based on the story of

Cupid and Psyche Cupid and Psyche is a story originally from ''Metamorphoses'' (also called ''The Golden Ass''), written in the 2nd century AD by Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis (or Platonicus). The tale concerns the overcoming of obstacles to the love between Psyc ...

, the opera premiered on January 18, 1800, at the Hoftheater (Herzöglichestheater) in

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...

. ''Amor und Psyche'' was popular in Germany in its day and a version of the score for voice and piano was published by

Breitkopf & Härtel Breitkopf & Härtel is the world's oldest music publishing house. The firm was founded in 1719 in Leipzig by Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf. The catalogue currently contains over 1,000 composers, 8,000 works and 15,000 music editions or books on ...

. Franz Carl Hiemer went on to write the libretto for Abeille's third opera, ''

Peter und Ännchen '' Peter und Ännchen'' (Peter and Annie) is an opera (''singspiel'') in one act composed by Ludwig Abeille to a German libretto by Franz Carl Hiemer (1768 – 1822). The libretto was based on Charles Simon Favart and Marie Favart's text for ''An ...

'' (1809) as well as the libretti for

Carl Maria von Weber Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber (18 or 19 November 17865 June 1826) was a German composer, conductor, virtuoso pianist, guitarist, and critic who was one of the first significant composers of the Romantic era. Best known for his opera ...

's operas '' Silvana'' and ''

Abu Hassan ''Abu Hassan'' (Friedrich Wilhelm Jähns, J. 106) is a comic List of operas by Carl Maria von Weber, opera in one act by Carl Maria von Weber to a German libretto by , based on a story in ''One Thousand and One Nights''. It was composed between 1 ...

''.

Roles

*Psyche *

Pythia Pythia (; grc, Πυθία ) was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo (Delphi), Temple of Apollo at Delphi. She specifically served as its oracle and was known as the Oracle of Delphi. Her title was also historically glossed i ...

*Amor (

Cupid In classical mythology, Cupid (Latin Cupīdō , meaning "passionate desire") is the god of desire, lust, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus (mythology), Venus and the god of war Mar ...

) *

Mercury Mercury commonly refers to: * Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun * Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg * Mercury (mythology), a Roman god Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to: Companies * Merc ...

Alecto Alecto ( grc, Ἀληκτώ, Alēktṓ, the implacable or unceasing anger) is one of the Erinyes (Furies) in Greek mythology. Family and description According to Hesiod, Alecto was the daughter of Gaea fertilized by the blood spilled from Uranu ...

*The King * 3

Furies The Erinyes ( ; sing. Erinys ; grc, Ἐρινύες, pl. of ), also known as the Furies, and the Eumenides, were female chthonic deities of vengeance in ancient Greek religion and mythology. A formulaic oath in the ''Iliad The ''Il ...

*3 Genii * 3 Priests

Sources

* Autenrieth, Johanne ''et al''. (2000)
''Die Handschriften der Württembergischen Landesbibliothek Stuttgart''
(2: Codices musici ; 2, (HB XVII 29 - 480), Volume 2; Volume 6). Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, p. 11. * Grove, George ed. (1900). "Abeille, Joh. Chr. Ludwig", ''Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', Vol. 1, p. 4. MacMillan & Co. Ltd.

External links

* {{authority control Operas German-language operas 1800 operas Singspiele Operas based on classical mythology Works based on The Golden Ass