Oberon was Carl Maria von Weber's final opera, completed and premiered shortly before his death in 1826. Though a great success initially, it is no longer as well known as Der Freischütz. It tells the story of the elves Oberon and Titania, based on a German poem by Christoph Martin Wieland. In conductor Michael Hofstetter's live recording, the Philharmonisches Orchester Giessen perform on period instruments including natural trumpets and horns.
Featuring
Roman Kurtz
Michael Hofstetter
Clemens Kerschbaumer
Dorothea Maria Marx
Dmitry Egorov
Mirko Roschkowski
Grga Peroš
Marie Seidler
Philharmonisches Orchester des Stadttheaters Giessen
Chor des Stadttheaters Giessen
Carl Maria von Weber
Did you know?
1/7
Interpretation
For this recording, the Giessen production uses period instruments like natural horns, natural trumpets, and wooden flutes to recreate the specific atmosphere Weber intended for Oberon.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Weber's Oberon combines romantic sounds with oriental fairy tale worlds, using diverse atmospheres to touch the soul, rather than just depicting sylvan solitude.
Compositional Technique
A magic horn call, represented by the notes D-E-F-sharp, serves as a recurring musical leitmotif throughout Oberon, subtly changing to link isolated scenes.
Composer Biography
Carl Maria von Weber, the composer of Oberon, knew it would be his last work, writing to a friend, "I am going to London to die there."
Composition History
The libretto for Oberon by James Robinson Planché was based on Christoph Martin Wieland's poem of the same name, which also inspired Mozart's The Magic Flute.
Recording & Production
This recording of Oberon was made live in December 2016 and January 2017 at the Stadttheater Gießen.
Composition History
Weber's opera Oberon premiered on April 12, 1826, in London, with the composer himself conducting.
