(subtitled ''Two Episodes from the Life of Niels Lyhne in Eleven Pictures'', RT I/8) is a German-language opera with four interludes, by the English composer

Frederick Delius Delius, photographed in 1907 Frederick Theodore Albert Delius ( 29 January 1862 – 10 June 1934), originally Fritz Delius, was an English composer. Born in Bradford in the north of England to a prosperous mercantile family, he resisted atte ...

. It is usually performed and recorded in English, as ''Fennimore and Gerda'' in a translation by Philip Heseltine. The 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 the composer himself, is based on the novel ''

Niels Lyhne ''Niels Lyhne'' is an 1880 novel written by the Danish author Jens Peter Jacobsen. General description A naturalistic work, ''Niels Lyhne'' is considered to be part of the Modern Breakthrough, a style of Realism native to Scandinavia; however, ...

'' by the Danish writer

Jens Peter Jacobsen Jens Peter Jacobsen (7 April 1847 – 30 April 1885) was a Danish novelist, poet, and scientist, in Denmark often just written as "J. P. Jacobsen". He began the naturalist movement in Danish literature and was a part of the Modern Bre ...

. In neither German nor English is the libretto highly regarded; rather, the work is considered an "orchestral opera", limited in its dramatic appeal but voluptuous and engaging in its instrumental texture. Delius began writing ''Fennimore und Gerda'' in 1908; he finished in 1910, but the premiere, intended for the

Cologne Opera The Cologne Opera (German: Oper der Stadt Köln or Oper Köln) refers both to the main opera house in Cologne, Germany and to its resident opera company. History of the company From the mid 18th century, opera was performed in the city's court th ...

, was delayed by the First World War and did not take place until 21 October 1919, and then by the

Oper Frankfurt The Oper Frankfurt (Frankfurt Opera) is a German opera company based in Frankfurt. Opera in Frankfurt am Main has a long tradition, with many world premieres such as Franz Shrek's ''Der ferne Klang'' in 1912, '' Fennimore und Gerda'' by Frede ...

. It was the composer's last opera. The United States premiere of the work was staged by the

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL) is an American summer opera festival held in St. Louis, Missouri. Typically four operas, all sung in English, are presented each season, which runs from late May to late June. Performances are accompanied by th ...

in June 1981 with Kathryn Bouleyn as Fennimore and Kathryn Gamberoni as Gerda.

Roles

Synopsis

:Place: Denmark :Time: Around 1860 Two cousins, the writer Niels Lyhne and the painter Erik Refstrup, are in love with the consul's daughter, Fennimore. She chooses Erik but the marriage begins to break down as a result of the artist's drinking and Fennimore embarks on an affair with Niels. Erik is killed in an accident and, overwhelmed with guilt, Fennimore breaks off the affair. The rejected Niels spends years travelling before he settles down and marries his neighbour's daughter, Gerda.

Recordings

*''Fennimore and Gerda'' –

Elisabeth Söderström Anna Elisabeth Söderström (married name Olow; 7 May 192720 November 2009) was a Swedish soprano who performed both opera and song, and was known as a leading interpreter of the works of Janáček, Rachmaninoff and Sibelius.Elizabeth Sleeman, ' ...

, Brian Rayner Cook,

Robert Tear Robert Tear (pronounced to rhyme with "beer"), CBE (8 March 1939 – 29 March 2011) was a Welsh tenor singer, teacher and conductor. He first became known singing in the operas of Benjamin Britten in the mid-1960s. From the 1970s until his r ...

, Birger Brandt, Danish National Radio Choir and Symphony Orchestra, conducted by

Meredith Davies (Albert) Meredith Davies CBE (30 July 1922 – 9 March 2005) was a British conductor, renowned for his advocacy of English music by composers such as Benjamin Britten, Frederick Delius and Ralph Vaughan Williams. His co-conducting, with the comp ...

(HMV, 1976; reissued on EMI CD, 1997) *''Fennimore and Gerda'' –

Randi Stene Randi Stene (born 12 April 1963) is a Norwegian opera singer and contralto from Trondheim. After her studies in Trondheim, Oslo and København, her international breakthrough came as Octavian in ''Der Rosenkavalier'' (''The Knight of the Rose'') ...

, Judith Howarth, Mark Tucker,

Peter Coleman-Wright Peter Coleman-Wright (born 13 October 1958) is an Australian baritone from Geelong. He began his career at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, where he sang Guglielmo in ''Così fan tutte'', winning the Touring Prize. Subsequently, he sang Sid in '' Al ...

, Danish National Radio Choir and Symphony Orchestra, conducted by

Richard Hickox Richard Sidney Hickox (5 March 1948 – 23 November 2008) was an English conductor of choral, orchestral and operatic music. Early life Hickox was born in Stokenchurch in Buckinghamshire into a musical family. After attending the Royal Gram ...

(Chandos, 1999)

References

External links

Complete cast list, notes, extensive synopsis
* * {{Authority control Operas 1919 operas Operas by Frederick Delius English-language operas Operas based on novels Operas set in Denmark Operas set in the 19th century

Roles

Synopsis

Recordings

References

Further reading

External links