Die sieben Raben

Oper in 3 Akten

By Josef Gabriel Rheinberger

Item Number: CA.5021100

ISBN 9790007090258. Language: German. Text: Bonn, Franz. Text: Franz Bonn.

Rheinberger was inspired to compose his first opera by the great cycle of aquarelles entitled "Von den Sieben Raben" by the painter Moritz von Schwind (1804-1871), with whom he was acquainted. The libretto by Franz Bonn (1830-1904) follows in its essentials the story depicted in these pictures, rather than the Grimm fairytale of the same name. The work had its successful world premiere, conducted by the composer, on 23 May 1869 at the Konigliche Hof- und Nationaltheater in Munich. After the second performance in Munich, on the 8 September 1869, a reviewer wrote in the Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung: "The composer was able to express the enchantment of the story, its high-spirited simplicity and deep feeling, with great skill, and the lyrical passages of the opera provide the most positive proof of Rheinberger's talent." Possibly Engelbert Humperdinck, who was a pupil of Rheinberger in Munich from 1877 until 1879, was inspired by Die sieben Raben to compose his fairy tale opera Hansel und Gretel (1893), which helped this genre to achieve great success.