Der Freischütz
by Carl Maria von Weber
Admission $20, cash or check
Cast and Characters
- Max
- Stephen Wall
- Agathe
- Regina Thomas
- Ännchen
- Caspar
- Jonathan Silvia
- Killian
- Cary Lee
- Ottokar
- Colin Ward
- The Hermit
- Renwick Hester
- Piano
- John Burkhardt
- Kuno
- Michael Monnikendam
- Max (cover)
- Colin Ward
- Agathe (cover)
- Breanna Hanson
- Ännchen (cover)
- Emma Rose Lynn
Orchestra
- Violin 1
- Candice Chin
- Violin 2
- Dustin Peskuric
- Viola
- Jennifer Glenn-Shoval
- Cello
- Janice Lee
- Bass
- Ericka Kendall
- Flute
- Jenna Calixto
- Clarinet
- Leslie Edwards
- Bassoon
- Gary Claunch
- Horn
- Amy Fergusen
Chorus
Emma Rose Lynn, Breanna Hanson, Jenna Moffat, Amy Carter, Diann Spicer,Greta Birkby, Emily Robinson, Denise Schlickbernd, Bronwyn Scott,
Colin Ward, Cary Lee, Dana Birkby, Steve Duncan, Eric Williams
Synopsis
To gain the hand of Agathe, the forester Max must win a sharpshooting contest. With its lush orchestration and themes of nature, folklore and the supernatural, this rarely performed gem is considered to be the first significant German Opera in the Romantic era and strongly influenced a whole generation of German composers, including the young Richard Wagner. Performed with 9 piece chamber ensemble and piano. Sung in German with English dialogue and supertitles.
About Carl Maria von Weber & Der Freischutz
It is interesting to note that Weber was the cousin of Constanze Weber, who married Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Both Constanze and her sister, Alyosia were gifted singers. Mozart actually lived with the Webers for a time so it is clear that young Carl Maria was exposed to Mozart's work. When the Magic Flute was performed in 1791, Weber had close knowledge of this early attempt at creating a truly German Opera and clearly took it to heart.
Sadly, Weber took after Mozart also in that he died at just 39 years old of tuberculosis. He was buried in London were he had been working at the time, but 18 years later his remains were transferred to the family vault in Dresden. The eulogy at the reburial was performed by Wagner himself, a great admirer of Weber's work.
Despite the brevity of his career, Weber's compositions influenced a whole generation of German Romantic composers. He produced a significant body of chamber music featuring woodwinds and horns. His opera orchestration begins a trend of heavier, more colorful use of a variety of instruments producing the lush fuller sounds that distinguish German Romantic music from that of their Classical era predecessors. Weber was also a trendsetter in his use of story/libretto in that he used themes drawn from folklore and legend with magical and supernatural elements as well as the epic struggle of good vs. evil. And really, the settings of his operas feel distinctively German.
The successful premiere of Der Freischütz on 18 June 1821 in Berlin led to performances all over Europe. It was wildly popular and influential.