' (''Pride and Prejudice'') is a three-act opéra comique by
Daniel Nelson, to a
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 Swedish playwright (born 1968) based on the
popular 1813 English novel by
Jane Austen
Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots of ...
.
The piece was written in 2010 to 2011 for the opera festival at
Vadstena. Before the premiere the composer expressed his view of the work as an
operetta
Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...
in the sense that "a direct and immediate communication with an audience" is planned. One reviewer of the premiere noted musical influences of
Michel Legrand and
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the ...
in the score.
The premiere took place on 21 July 2011, at Vadstena Castle, Sweden, with conducting soloists and the Vadstena Academy Opera Orchestra. A small ensemble is used: one flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, trumpet,
a harp, piano, and strings and one percussionist.
Roles
The plot follows closely that in the novel, although some characters (
Lady Catherine de Bourgh
Lady Catherine de Bourgh (née Fitzwilliam; ; ) is a character in the 1813 novel '' Pride and Prejudice'' by Jane Austen. According to Janet Todd, Lady Catherine can be seen as a foil to the novel's protagonist Elizabeth Bennet.
Family
Lady ...
,
Mary Bennet) do not appear.
Nine video extracts from the first production have been uploaded by the composer to YouTube.
Section of YouTube with short video excerpts from ''Stolthet och fördom''
accessed 25 February 2015
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stolthet och fordom
Swedish-language operas
Operas
Opéras comiques
2011 operas
Operas based on novels
Works based on Pride and Prejudice