''Die beiden Kalifen'' (The Two

Caliph A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...

s) is an 1813

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

in two acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer (or as he was then known, Jacob Meyerbeer), to a libretto by Johann Gottfried Wöhlbruch, based on a tale from the '' Arabian Nights''. The opera, Meyerbeer's second attempt at this genre, was originally titled ''Wirt und Gast, oder Aus Scherz Ernst'' (Landlord and Guest, or The Joke which Became Serious). Under this name it was premiered at the on 6 January 1813, conducted by

Conradin Kreutzer Conradin Kreutzer or Kreuzer (22 November 1780 – 14 December 1849) was a German composer and conductor. His works include the operas ''Das Nachtlager in Granada'' and incidental music to ''Der Verschwender'', both produced in 1834 in Vienna. ...

.Letellier (1999), 360 Meyerbeer noted in his diary that "I arrived one day before the performance, and was able to supervise two rehearsals, but could do nothing to help really, since in every respect it had been badly and hurriedly prepared. The production was judged as poor by all critical accounts, and the opera was received very tepidly." The local press however reported that the opera "earned a deserved success. The music has striking, genuinely original passages, and the text has been diligently prepared." The opera was given a single performance as ''Die beiden Kalifen'' during the

Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon B ...

at the

Theater am Kärntnertor or (Carinthian Gate Theatre) was a prestigious theatre in Vienna during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Its official title was (Imperial and Royal Court Theatre of Vienna). History The theatre was built in 1709 to designs by Anto ...

in Vienna on 20 October 1814.Letellier (1999), 326 At this performance the role of Irene was sung by the soprano

Cathinka Buchwieser Katharina Buchwieser (; 24 May 1789 – 9 July 1828) was a German operatic soprano and actress. She was known as Cathinka, and her married surname was Lacsny von Folkusfálva. She appeared at theatres of Vienna, the Theater an der Wien and the ...

. The failure of the opera was a major factor in Meyerbeer determining to leave for Vienna in November 1814 and to seek his career outside German-speaking Europe.Conway (2012), 163. In a review, the English journal ''

The Harmonicon ''The Harmonicon'' was an influential monthly journal of music published in London from 1823 to 1833. It was edited at one period by William Ayrton (1777–1858.) Issues contained articles on diverse topics, including reviews of musical composi ...

'' commented: "At this period no music but Italian had a chance of being listened to in the Austrian capital; it is not to be wondered at, therefore, that Meyerbeer's opera, written upon an opposite principle and very nearly in the same style with his '' Daughter of Jeptha'', failed completely."Letellier (1999), 367 The opera received further performances in Prague (22 October 1815), and, under the name ''Alimelek, oder die beiden Kalifen'', in Dresden on 22 February 1820. Both these performances were conducted by Meyerbeer's friend

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 operas, ...

, who wrote of its "active imagination. ndwell-nigh voluptuous melody", and praised its

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Roles

References

Notes Sources * Conway, David (2012). ''Jewry in Music: Entry to the Profession from the Enlightenment to Richard Wagner''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. *Letellier, Robert (ed. and tr.) (1999). ''The diaries of Giacomo Meyerbeer Volume 1 1791–1839''. Madison: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. *Letellier, Robert (ed.) (2008).
Giacomo Meyerbeer: Alimelek, oder Die beiden Kalifen
'. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, {{DEFAULTSORT:Beiden Kalifen, Die Operas 1813 operas Operas by Giacomo Meyerbeer Operas with mythological or folkloric settings German-language operas Music based on One Thousand and One Nights