Today : world première of 'Effi Briest' by Siegfried Matthus in Cottbus

Today, the Staatstheater Cottbus presents the world première of Effi Briest, an opera composed by Siegfried Matthus with a libretto in German by Anton Perrey based on Theodor Fontane's novel.

It is the composer's twelfth opera. His lyrical output includes Judith (Berlin, September 28, 1985), Graf Mirabeau (Berlin, July 14, 1989), Farinelli oder Die Macht des Gesanges (Karlsruhe, February 28, 1998), and Die unendliche Geschichte (Weimar, April 10, 2004).

Seventeen-year-old Effi Briest is married to Baron von Innstetten, twice as old. Innstetten can not do anything with the young girl and neglects her, being more preoccupied with his career. Effi has a short affair. As Innstetten learns years later, he kills the lover in a duel and repudiates Effi. Her parents also abandon her. (freely adapted from the Staatstheater Cottbus website)

The cast includes soprano Liudmila Lokaichuk (Effi), tenor Martin Shalita (Crampas), baritone Andreas Jäpel (Innstetten), soprano Gesine Forberger (Luise) and bass Ulrich Schneider (Briest). Alexander Merzyn conducts the Cottbus Philharmonic Orchestra. Jakob Peters-Messer directs.

Today : world première of 'Oceane' by Detlev Glanert in Berlin

Today, the Deutsche Oper in Berlin presents the world première of Oceane, an opera in two acts composed by Detlev Glanert, with a libretto in German by Hans-Ulrich Treichel based on Theodor Fontane's Oceane von Parceval. 

(c) Bettina Stoess

Detlev Glanert has already composed several operas, including Joseph Süß (Bremen, 1999), Caligula (Frankfurt, 2006) and Solaris (Bregenz, 2012).

Oceane von Parceval is an attempt to encapsulate in the form of Melusine the sense of menace and fascination felt by a bourgeois, male-dominated society faced with femininity coupled with an archaic, erotically permissive artlessness. Oceane’s inability to sympathise with human destinies serves to amplify her alien nature. She is indifferent to death and love alike, and as such her attempt to have a relationship with a young landowner, Martin von Dircksen, is doomed to failure. (reproduced from the Boosey & Hawkes website)

The cast includes soprano Maria Bengtsson (Oceane von Parceval), tenor Nikolai Schukoff (Martin von Dircksen), baritone Christoph Pohl (Dr Albert Felgentreu), soprano Nicole Haslett (Kristina), bass Albert Pesendorfer (Pastor Baltzer) and mezzo Doris Soffel (Madame Louise). Donald Runnicles conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Robert Carsen directs.

The required orchestra is the following (reproduced from the publisher's website):

- 3 flutes, 2 oboes, 1 English horn, 3 clarinets, 3 bassoons ;
- 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba ;
- percussions (3) ;
- 2 harps, celesta and strings.

The performance should last 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one interval.

The score is published by Boosey & Hawkes.