Day 257
Weber: Abu Hassan
Soloists
Dresden Statskapelle Orchestra and Chorus
Heinz Rögner
Weber has a curious place in the operatic world. There is no doubt that his operas are hugely important in the development of the genre but they don’t feature as prominently in the operatic repertoire as they should. Of the big three two - Oberon and Euryanthe - are best with problematic libretti and structural - and the other Der Freischütz is so immersed in German culture that it doesn’t translate well into other cultural environments.
Abu Hassan is a short one act opera dating from 1811. I found it delightful. It occupies an interesting place between Die Zauberflöte and the operas of Rossini. It is as light as a feather and full of attractive melodies and piquant orchestration. I am sure that it would make a really good curtain raiser.
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