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| ===History=== | |||
| '''''Die Feen''''' (''The Fairies'') is one of ]'s earlier ]. Rarely performed today, it was both started and quickly completed in ], when the composer was only 20 years old; the opera remained unheard until after his death in 1883. | '''''Die Feen''''' (''The Fairies'') is one of ]'s earlier ]. Rarely performed today, it was both started and quickly completed in ], when the composer was only 20 years old; the opera remained unheard until after his death in 1883. | ||
| ===Wagner's 2nd Opera=== | |||
| Before embarking on it, he wrote a ] for a different opera before scrapping it — therefore it is technically not the composer's ''first'' operatic output. | Before embarking on it, he wrote a ] for a different opera before scrapping it — therefore it is technically not the composer's ''first'' operatic output. | ||
| ===Harmonic Complexity=== | |||
| Being such an early ''oeuvre'', Die Feen is much more harmonically stable than Wagner's later operas, which saw him discarding tonality completely in complex ] chains of ]. | Being such an early ''oeuvre'', Die Feen is much more harmonically stable than Wagner's later operas, which saw him discarding tonality completely in complex ] chains of ]. | ||
| ===Performances=== | |||
| Although today regarded as a puerile and relatively worthless piece, the opera proved crucial in Wagner's development as a composer and a man. The first performance was given in Munich shortly after the composers death. The manuscrpt was officially the possession of ] of Bavaria, given to him by the composer himself. The original manuscript was later given as a gift to ], and perished with him in flames in the Berlin bunker in the final days of World War II. | Although today regarded as a puerile and relatively worthless piece, the opera proved crucial in Wagner's development as a composer and a man. The first performance was given in Munich shortly after the composers death. The manuscrpt was officially the possession of ] of Bavaria, given to him by the composer himself. The original manuscript was later given as a gift to ], and perished with him in flames in the Berlin bunker in the final days of World War II. | ||
| ===Recordings & DVDs=== | |||
| Die Feen remains the only Wagner opera yet to be recorded for broadcast TV or video. There are some audio recordings however, and the most frequently available is a live 1982 performance conducted by ]. | Die Feen remains the only Wagner opera yet to be recorded for broadcast TV or video. There are some audio recordings however, and the most frequently available is a live 1982 performance conducted by ]. | ||
Revision as of 00:55, 20 October 2005
Die Feen (The Fairies) is one of Richard Wagner's earlier operas. Rarely performed today, it was both started and quickly completed in 1833, when the composer was only 20 years old; the opera remained unheard until after his death in 1883.
Before embarking on it, he wrote a libretto for a different opera before scrapping it — therefore it is technically not the composer's first operatic output.
Being such an early oeuvre, Die Feen is much more harmonically stable than Wagner's later operas, which saw him discarding tonality completely in complex chromatic chains of melody.
Although today regarded as a puerile and relatively worthless piece, the opera proved crucial in Wagner's development as a composer and a man. The first performance was given in Munich shortly after the composers death. The manuscrpt was officially the possession of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, given to him by the composer himself. The original manuscript was later given as a gift to Adolf Hitler, and perished with him in flames in the Berlin bunker in the final days of World War II.
Die Feen remains the only Wagner opera yet to be recorded for broadcast TV or video. There are some audio recordings however, and the most frequently available is a live 1982 performance conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch.
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