Dalibor

Dalibor (the name of a main character) is a Czech opera in three acts by Bedřich Smetana. The libretto was written in German by Josef Wenzig, and translated into Czech by Ervin Špindler. It was first performed at the New Town Theater in Prague on 16 May 1868. The opera received criticism at the time for being overly influenced by German opera, including that of Richard Wagner. Smetana had great affection for the opera, but because of the lukewarm... more

Dalibor (the name of a main character) is a Czech opera in three acts by Bedřich Smetana. The libretto was written in German by Josef Wenzig, and translated into Czech by Ervin Špindler. It was first performed at the New Town Theater in Prague on 16 May 1868. The opera received criticism at the time for being overly influenced by German opera, including that of Richard Wagner. Smetana had great affection for the opera, but because of the lukewarm reception, died thinking that he had failed with this opera. The revival in 1886, however, two years after the composer's death, was a success. In the 1890s, the opera received productions in Zagreb, Munich, and Hamburg. Gustav Mahler conducted an 1892 production in Vienna. The subject of the opera is Dalibor z Kozojed, a Czech knight who took part in an uprising in support of the oppressed people and was sentenced to death in 1498, during the reign of Vladislav II. The plot bears a resemblance to that of Ludwig van Beethoven's opera Fidelio,... less