Euryanthe

Euryanthe is a German Romantic opera by Carl Maria von Weber, first performed at the Theater am Kärntnertor, Vienna on 25 October 1823. Though acknowledged as one of Weber's most important operas, the work is rarely staged because of the weak libretto by Helmina von Chézy. Only the overture, an outstanding example of the early German Romantic style (heralding Richard Wagner), is frequently played today. Like Schubert's lesser-known Alfonso und Es... more

Euryanthe is a German Romantic opera by Carl Maria von Weber, first performed at the Theater am Kärntnertor, Vienna on 25 October 1823. Though acknowledged as one of Weber's most important operas, the work is rarely staged because of the weak libretto by Helmina von Chézy. Only the overture, an outstanding example of the early German Romantic style (heralding Richard Wagner), is frequently played today. Like Schubert's lesser-known Alfonso und Estrella and Fierrabras, of the same time and place (Vienna, 1822 and 1823, respectively), Euryanthe parts with the German Singspiel tradition, adopting a musical approach free from the interruption of spoken dialog characteristic of earlier German language operas such as Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Beethoven's Fidelio, and Weber's own Der Freischütz. Euryanthe premiered on 25 October, 1823, in a year marked by Vienna's interest in Italian operas, particularly those of Rossini. The performance was poorly received, with complaints about the... less