Hallström: Duke Magnus and the Mermaid

Opera 97

Hallström: Duke Magnus and the Mermaid

Soloists

Korköpping Symphony Orchestra

Nicklaus Willén

Another composer I knew nothings about. Hallström was born in Stockholm in 1826 and studied law rather than music. But he had a long composing career and this, the first of his four operas, in generally considered to be the first real Swedish opera as opposed to a play with music. 

This is an opera very much in the German Singspiel tradition and the influence of Weber and his school is very clear , though there are some moments which seem to come from opéra comique. I found the first act enjoyable enough without being particularly memorable but the second and third acts (the latter quite short) had more to offer. There was a lightness of touch about these two acts and some attractive folk-derived music, which towards the end almost turned the piece into more of a ballad opera.  There was real charm about the best of the music here and it certainly was well worth listening to. I can’t see the opera having much success on the modern stage as it is something of a period piece, but on its own terms it was attractive and I am glad that I heard it.

Blodek: In the Well

Opera no 31

Blodek: In the well

Soloists

Prague National Theatre

Jan Štych

This was a delightful work. The obvious point of comparison is The Bartered Bride which was first performed around the same time and indeed has the same librettist. This is a lighthearted story about village life and love - the well is where young girls to to see an image of their future husband and the prospective suitor of the heroine hides in a tree above the well so that it is his reflection that is seen. Inevitably he falls into well, but all ends happily ever after.

The music is very much in the early romantic style of composers such as Lortzing with an overlay of  the Czech style familiar from Smetana and Dvóřak. It is a short piece which places few demands on the performers - John Tyrrell points out that the piece is often performed by amateurs and is still very much in the Czech operatic repertoire.