Raff: Dame Kobold, Op. 154

Featuring

Matthias Lika
Lara Rieken
Julia Surushkina
Gustav Wenzel Most
Lukas Krimmel
Dario Salvi

Pěvecký sbor Severočeského divadla opery a baletu Ústí nad Labem
Západočeský symfonický orchestr
Joseph Joachim Raff

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Notable Performances

Dame Kobold had its first performance on April 9, 1870, at the Hoftheater in Weimar, with Franz Liszt's successor, Eduard Lassen, conducting the court orchestra.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Raff's Dame Kobold represents a deliberate move away from Wagnerian music drama, embracing a lighter, more Franco-Italian style reminiscent of Rossini and German comic opera.

Recording & Production

This recording of Dame Kobold is a world premiere recording, made possible by the generous support of Edition Nordstern music publishers.

Composition History

The libretto for Dame Kobold was written by Paul Reber, an engineer, architect, and occasional poet, based on Pedro Calderón de la Barca's 1629 comedy La dama duende.

Composition History

Joachim Raff's opera Dame Kobold, a comic opera, was composed in Wiesbaden in 1869, marking a fresh start for him in the operatic genre.

Critical Reception

Despite initial praise for its 'gorgeous musical setting' and 'uncommon command of form,' Dame Kobold ultimately failed to establish itself in the stage repertoire.

Compositional Technique

Dame Kobold features pared-down instrumentation with bewitching solos, elegant melodies, and succinct musical forms, anticipating the 'return to simplicity' seen decades later.