Behold the Sun

Behold the Sun, Op. 44, is an opera in three acts and 10 scenes by Alexander Goehr with a libretto by John McGrath and the composer. It was commissioned for the 25th anniversary of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein. Titled Behold the Sun – Die Wiedertäufer, it was premiered there in German in 1985, and published by Schott Music. It was aired in English by the BBC in 1987. The opera has also been called Die Wiedertäufer and The Anabaptists.[1]

Behold the Sun
Opera by Alexander Goehr
The composer in 2007
Other title
  • Behold the Sun – Die Wiedertäufer
  • Die Wiedertäufer
  • The Anabaptists
Librettist
LanguageEnglish, translated to German
Based onAnabaptists in Münster
Premiere
19 April 1985 (1985-04-19)
Deutsche Oper am Rhein

History

The opera was commissioned for the 25th anniversary of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf and Duisburg.[2] The libretto by John McGrath and Goehr is focused on the Wiedertäufer (anabaptists) and set in Münster[3] in 1543, when two Dutch anabaptists, Jan Matthys and John of Leiden (or Jan Bokelson) tried to transform the town to a "City of God" in expectation of the Second Coming of Christ.[1] The libretto was translated to German by Bernhard Laux.[4]

Goehr, who was born in Berlin but grew up and worked in England,[5] worked on the composition between 1981 and 1984. Titled Behold the Sun – Die Wiedertäufer,[2] the opera was premiered in Duisburg on 19 April 1985,[6] conducted by Hiroshi Wakasugi, and staged by Bohumil Herlischka in a set designed by Ruodi Barth.[2] It was played in an abridged version,[6][7] which cut about 50 minutes of Goehr's score.[8]

The opera was first presented in English by the BBC, aired on 1 October 1987.[3] This time, the complete music was played,[7] conducted by John Pritchard.[3] It was published by Schott Music.[2]

An aria from the opera, Op. 44a, was recorded as part of a collection of the composer's works, with soprano Jeanine Thames and the London Sinfonietta, conducted by Oliver Knussen.[5]

Roles
RoleVoice typePremiere cast, 19 April 1985
Conductor: Hiroshi Wakasugi[2]		BBC cast, 1 October 1987[3]
Mr Berninck, a merchantbaritonePeter-Christoph Runge
Mrs Berninckmezzo-sopranoFiona Kimm
Christian, their sonsoprano
Johann Matthys (anabaptist)baritoneNorman Bailey[9]Philip Joll
Divara, his wife and later wife of Jan BokelsonsopranoBerit Lindholm[10]Carole Farley
Jan Bokelson (anabaptist)tenorPhilip Langridge
BlacksmithbassStephen Richardson
Knipperdollinck, burgomaster of the city of MünsterbaritoneNorman Welsby
The Prince-BishopbaritoneJohn Tranter
His servanttenorHarry Nicoll
FishwifesopranoMary Thomas
Limping prophettenorIan Caley
Captain of the Anabaptist guardbaritoneJeremy White
DivestenorJustin Lavender
His wife and guestssilent roles
The people of MünsterSATB chorus
Anabaptistssmall chorus
A dancer

Music

Goehr said about his opera that the people are the protagonists, and the focus of the music is their turbae chorus sections.[7] He combined 20th-century harmonies with baroque features such as figured bass and prelude and fugue.[6]

References
  1. Williams, Nicholas (2002). "Behold the Sun [Die Wiedertäufer ('The Anabaptists')]". oxfordmusiconline.com. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.O009418. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  2. "Behold the Sun – Die Wiedertäufer (Sehet die Sonne)]". Schott Music. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  3. "Behold the Sun". BBC. 1 October 1987. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  4. "Behold the Sun – Die Wiedertäufer". www.theatertexte.de. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  5. "Begegnungen mit Alexander Goehr" (in German). Deutschlandfunk. 24 November 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  6. Ross Griffel, Margaret (2012). Opera in English: A Dictionary. Scarecrow Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-81-088325-3.
  7. Arblaster, Anthony (1992). Viva la Libertà!: Politics in Opera. Verso. pp. 317–318. ISBN 978-0-86-091618-5.
  8. Erdmann, Martin (1985). "Alexander Goehrs "Die Wiedertäufer" in Duisburg". Österreichische Musikzeitschrift (in German). Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  9. "Bass-Baritone Norman Bailey / A Conversation with Bruce Duffie". bruceduffie.com. 1994. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  10. "Berit Lindholm – sopran". operalogg.com (in Swedish). Retrieved 19 July 2019.
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