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''Euryanthe'' is a German "grand, heroic, romantic" opera by Carl Maria von Weber, first performed at the Theater am Kärntnertor, Vienna on 25 October 1823.〔Brown, p. 88〕 Though acknowledged as one of Weber's most important operas, the work is rarely staged because of the weak libretto by Helmina von Chézy (who, incidentally, was also the author of the failed play ''Rosamunde'', for which Franz Schubert wrote music). ''Euryanthe'' is based on the 13th-century romance ''"L'Histoire du très-noble et chevalereux prince Gérard, comte de Nevers et la très-virtueuse et très chaste princesse Euriant de Savoye, sa mye."'' Only the overture, an outstanding example of the early German Romantic style (heralding Richard Wagner), is regularly played today. Like Schubert's lesser-known ''Alfonso und Estrella'', of the same time and place (Vienna, 1822), ''Euryanthe'' parts with the German Singspiel tradition, adopting a musical approach without the interruption of spoken dialogue characteristic of earlier German language operas such as Mozart's ''Die Zauberflöte'', Beethoven's ''Fidelio'', and Weber's own ''Der Freischütz''.〔Elizabeth Norman McKay, ( "''Alfonso und Estrella''" ), ''Grove Music Online'' ed. L. Macy (Accessed October 30, 2007)〕 ==Performance history== ''Euryanthe'' premiered on 25 October 1823, in a year marked by Vienna's interest in Italian operas, particularly those of Rossini. Although the initial reception was enthusiastic, the opera lasted only 20 performances,〔 with complaints about the libretto and the length of the opera. Franz Schubert commented that, "This is not music ..."〔Otte and Wink, p. 157〕 In spite of this, the opera has since had several champions. Victor Hugo in ''Les Misérables'' calls the huntsman's chorus in Act 3 "perhaps the most beautiful piece of music ever composed".〔Hugo, V., ''Les misérables'', Volume 2, Penguin Books, 1 Dec 1980, p.103.〕 During his term as director of the Vienna State Opera, Gustav Mahler mounted a new production of ''Euryanthe'' in 1903. Despite amendments in the libretto by Mahler himself (who described von Chézy as a "poetess with a full heart and an empty head") and Max Kalbeck and a few changes in the score by Mahler, there were only five performances. Mahler realised the weaknesses of the libretto and the absurdities of the plot; in particular, in the third act, the ludicrously implausible meeting of all the characters in the middle of a rocky waste, a scene which he always alluded to as 'the merry folk reunited'. Leo Slezak played Adolar, Leopold Demuth played Lysiart.〔De La Grange, P. ?〕 The composer and musicologist Donald Francis Tovey regarded ''Euryanthe'' as musically superior to Wagner's better-known opera ''Lohengrin'' (whose plot and music echo ''Euryanthe'' in several respects, especially with regard to the use of ''Leitmotiv'' technique) and made a new performing version, while Arturo Toscanini conducted the La Scala premiere in 1902. Carlo Maria Giulini conducted a performance in May 1954 at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, and a recording is available, along with other historic live recordings. ''Euryanthe'' has also been staged more frequently in recent years. Grove notes Weber's use of chromaticism to depict the evil characters, the fine orchestration, and the careful blend of recitative, arioso and set piece.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Euryanthe」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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