Cornelius's inspiration for Der Barbier von Bagdad came in 1855 from 'The Story Told by the Tailor' within the oriental fairy tale collection 'The Arabian Nights'.
Critical Reception
The premiere of Der Barbier von Bagdad in 1858 was marred by a scandal, with a hired group of hissers disrupting the performance, targeting conductor Franz Liszt and the 'Neo-German School'.
Recording & Production
This recording of Peter Cornelius's opera Der Barbier von Bagdad was made in Cologne in 1974, with the final rehearsal on January 31st and the recording on February 1st.
Interpretation
Ferdinand Leitner, the conductor of this recording, was a self-professed Mozartian, and the light, graceful quality of Cornelius's score for Der Barbier von Bagdad would have appealed to him.
Composer Biography
Peter Cornelius, the composer of Der Barbier von Bagdad, was born into a family of actors in Mainz on Christmas Eve 1824.
Compositional Technique
The orchestral writing in Der Barbier von Bagdad is noted for its light-footed quality and delicate woodwind parts, drawing comparisons to Mozart rather than Wagner.
Composition History
Peter Cornelius's opera Der Barbier von Bagdad was originally conceived as a one-act piece but was expanded into a full-length work at the insistence of Franz Liszt, a fellow composer and his patron.
