Aniara (opera)
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by Harry Martinson
| Aniara | |
|---|---|
| opera by Karl-Birger Blomdahl | |
 Premiere production at the Royal Swedish Opera, May 1959. Set by Sven Erixson. | |
| Librettist | Erik Lindegren |
| Language | Swedish |
| Based on | Aniara by Harry Martinson |
| Premiere | 31 May 1959 Royal Swedish Opera, Stockholm |
Aniara is an opera in two acts by Karl-Birger Blomdahl, with a libretto by Erik Lindegren based on the poem Aniara by Harry Martinson, that was premiered on 31 May 1959.[1] The opera was described by the composer with the ambiguous phrase en revy om människan i tid och rum: "a revue about Man in Time and Space".[2]
Many representatives of the international press were at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm for the premiere in 1959 at a time when the space age was beginning.[2] Blomdahl said in interview that the opera (in common with his next opera Herr von Hancken) was founded on "modern man's complexity and his basically impossible situation"; Aniara dealt with "the downfall of the group".[3] The score of Aniara is varied and makes full use of a range of musical idioms, including jazz, serial writing and an electronic tape. The narrative is sung primarily by Mimaroben, a bass-baritone, who operates the electronic tape, Mima, the computer, and by the chorus.[1] In essence the opera (and poem) deal with the relationship between the individual and the group through time. Erik Lindegren had seen a stage performance a few years before by the deaf-mute priest S. G. Svenfors and, deeply moved by its expressivenes, engaged Svenfors to teach Ulfung to perform the Deaf-Mute's 'song' in sign language, one of the dramatic high points of the opera.[4]
The original Stockholm production by Göran Gentele was seen at the Edinburgh Festival in 1959 and at Covent Garden in 1960, the latter featuring Hallin, Elisabeth Söderström and conducted by Ehrling.[5] In Hamburg in early 1960, "For about twenty minutes the usually cool-headed audience in the Staatsoper ran riot" at the end, mixing boos and bravos; conducted by Leopold Ludwig and featuring Joan Carroll, Helga Pilarczyk, Toni Blankenheim and Ratko Delorko this was a production by Günther Rennert.[6] The opera was the first production of the new opera house in Gothenburg in 1994.[7][8]
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 31 May 1959[9] (Conductor: Sixten Ehrling) |
|---|---|---|
| Mimaroben | baritone | Erik Saedén |
| The blind poetess | high soprano | Margareta Hallin |
| Daisi Doody | soprano | Kjerstin Dellert |
| Libidel | dancer | |
| Three chief technicians | 2 tenors, baritone | Sven-Erik Wikström, Arne Ohlson, Bo Lundborg |
| Comedian, Sandon | high buffo tenor | Olle Sivall |
| Isagel | dancer | Loulou Portefaix |
| The Deaf Mute | tenor | Ragnar Ulfung |
| Chefone | bass-baritone | Arne Tyrén |
| Chorus: space cadets, passengers | ||
