(''The Village School''), Op. 64, is a 1918 German

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 librett ...

in one act by

Felix Weingartner Paul Felix Weingartner, Edler von Münzberg (2 June 1863 – 7 May 1942) was an Austrian conductor, composer and pianist. Life and career Weingartner was born in Zara, Dalmatia, Austria-Hungary (now Zadar, Croatia), to Austrian parents. T ...

based on act 4, scene 3, "Terakoya" ( temple school), from the Japanese

kabuki is a classical form of Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. Kabuki is thought to ...

play ''

Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami is a Japanese play that has been performed in bunraku and kabuki, and was jointly written by Takeda Izumo I, Takeda Izumo II, Namiki Sōsuke and Miyoshi Shōraku.Shōriya, Aragorō.Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" ''Kabuki21.com''. Retrieved 4 Dec ...

''. The plot of the scene "Terakoya" concerns the

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

Matsuōmaru, who on learning of a plot to kill the son of his feudal lord sends his own son to the village school where the son dies in his master's son's place, fulfilling the family duty. The subject of the opera had already been treated by the 18-year old

Carl Orff Carl Orff (; 10 July 1895 – 29 March 1982) was a German composer and music educator, best known for his cantata ''Carmina Burana'' (1937). The concepts of his Schulwerk were influential for children's music education. Life Early life Car ...

as ''Gisei – '', in June 1913, one of the juvenile works which Orff withdrew after 1935. Orff's treatment was based on the German translation of "Terakoya" by .

Recordings

A 2012 recording of the opera has been issued on a 1-disc set by the German label

cpo CPO may refer to: Occupations * Certified Professional Organizer * Certified Protection Officer, a professional certification for security officers from the International Foundation for Protection Officers * Chief people officer, a corporate of ...

, in 2015 with the German Opera Orchestra, chorus and soloists conducted by

Jacques Lacombe Jacques Lacombe, (born July 14, 1963 in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec) is a Canadian conductor. Lacombe began his musical learning with choral singing. He later trained as an organist, and continued his studies at the Conservatoire de musique du ...

Dating

The work was published in 1919 but composed in March 1918.Autograph dated March 23 1918 @ ONB
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dorfschule, Die 1918 operas Operas One-act operas German-language operas Operas based on literature Operas set in Japan Japan in non-Japanese culture