Das Gesicht im Spiegel
Opera by Jörg Widmann
The composer in 2006
TranslationThe Face in the Mirror
LibrettistRoland Schimmelpfennig
LanguageGerman
Premiere
17 July 2003 (2003-07-17)
Cuvilliés Theatre, Munich

Das Gesicht im Spiegel (The Face in the Mirror) is an opera in 16 scenes by Jörg Widmann, with a libretto in German by Roland Schimmelpfennig. The opera is about the emotional consequences and ethical issues of human cloning. The opera was premiered at the Cuvilliés Theatre in Munich on 17 July 2003, conducted by Peter Rundel.

Background and performance history

Jörg Widmann received in 2000 a commission from the Bavarian State Opera for the 2003 Munich Opera Festival.[1][2][3] Sir Peter Jonas, manager of the Bavarian State Opera, commissioned an opera that would address a contemporary issue.[1] The libretto by Roland Schimmelpfennig[4] deals with the emotional consequences and ethical issues of human cloning.[5] The stage work was composed from 2002 to 2003 and finished in Freiburg on 11 June 2003.[6]

The opera was premiered at the Cuvilliés Theatre Munich on 17 July 2003, with the Orchestra of the Bavarian State Opera conducted by Peter Rundel and Tölzer Knabenchor.[1][5][7] Das Gesicht im Spiegel, Widmann's first full-length work, was chosen by critics of the Opernwelt as the most important premiere of the season 2003–2004.[8] The opera was also performed two years later in Theater Krefeld und Mönchengladbach conducted by Kenneth Duryea.[6] In March 2010 a revised version of the opera was premiered in Opernhaus Düsseldorf conducted by Axel Kober.[1]

In September 2022, the opera would be performed at the Neue Oper Wien, with Walter Kobéra conducting, and Carlos Wagner directing the stage.[9] This production would go on to give the Hungarian premiere at Müpa Budapest.[10]

Roles

Role Voice type Premiere cast, 17 July 2003
Conductor: Peter Rundel
Patrizia high soprano Salome Kammer
Justine soprano Julia Rempe
Bruno baritone Dale Duesing
Milton baritone Richard Salter
Children Choir 4 soprano, 4 mezzo, 4 alto + ad lib. Tölzer Knabenchor

Instrumentation

The opera uses a small orchestra, with only 23 players.[11][6]

  • Woodwinds: 2 flutes, 2 clarinets (A, B♭), 2 bassoons
  • Brass: 2 horns (F), trumpet (C), trombone
  • Strings: 4 violins, 3 cellos, double bass
  • Percussion: 2 players
  • piano, guitar, accordion

Synopsis

The opera in sixteen scenes can be divided in three parts:[lower-alpha 1][13]

Scene 1–5

  • The dependence of the biotech company owner on stock-market fluctuations

Scene 6–10

  • Exposure of the clone to the outside world

Scene 11–16

  • Problems that arise from a love triangle

Notes

  1. ↑ The sixteen scenes run attacca into one another.[12]

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Bruhn 2013, p. 147.
  2. ↑ Balk 2007, pp. 9, 26.
  3. ↑ Jörg Widmann, List of Published Works. Mainz: Schott Music. September 2012. p. 8. ISMN 979-0-001-18462-5.
  4. ↑ Weber, Mirko (24 July 2003). "Der Mann, die Frauen, die Asche". Die Zeit (in German). Hamburg. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  5. 1 2 Schwind, Elisabeth (21 July 2003). "Ansichten eines Klons". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Zürich. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 "Das Gesicht im Spiegel (Score)". Schott Music. 2003. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  7. ↑ Umbach, Klaus (21 July 2003). "Fiese Sprünge". Der Spiegel (in German). Hamburg. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  8. ↑ Balk 2007, p. 15.
  9. ↑ "Das Gesicht im Spiegel". www.operinwien.at (in German). Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "Jörg Widmann: Das Gesicht im Spiegel (The Face in the Mirror) - Hungarian premiere". Müpa Budapest. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  11. ↑ Bruhn 2013, p. 149.
  12. ↑ Bruhn 2013, p. 150.
  13. ↑ Bruhn 2013, pp. 147–148, 150.

Bibliography

  • Balk, Georgine Maria-Magdalena (2007). Zwischen Tradition und Innovation – "Das Gesicht im Spiegel" von Jörg Widmann und Roland Schimmelpfennig (in German). München: GRIN Verlag. ISBN 978-3-638-72776-1.
  • Bruhn, Siglind (2013). Die Musik von Jörg Widmann (in German). Waldkirch: Edition Gorz. pp. 145–168. ISBN 978-3-938095-16-4.
  • Besthorn, Florian Henri (2014). "Geräusch- und Klangwelten bei Jörg Widmann: zwei Einblicke". Geräusch – das Andere der Musik: Untersuchungen an den Grenzen des Musikalischen (in German). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag. pp. 75–90. ISBN 978-3-8376-2868-5.

Further reading

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