Benjamin Britten: Albert Herring
© Judith Buss
"Who will be able to unravel the terrible struggle between the good and the evil in the soul of the Young Rose, the savage attack of the devil, his wiles, his temptations that he threw into this timid heart? What images, what dreams did Satan invent to seize and corrupt this chosen one?" (Guy de Maupassant, Le rosier de Madame Husson)
To the work
Guy de Maupassant's tragic-satirical tale was the plot for film adaptations with Fernandel and later Bourvil, among others, and was adapted for the opera stage in 1947 by Benjamin Britten and Eric Crozier under the title Albert Herring, whereby the location was moved from Normandy to the fictitious "Loxford" in East Suffolk. In the apparent guise of a comedy, Benjamin Britten tells the oppressive story of a mothered misfit in a small-town provincial setting: the outsider, ridiculed by everyone and subjected to malicious mockery, receives the financially highly endowed "virtue prize", thus achieving fame and honors - but then runs away with his prize money and returns home an alcoholic wreck. After A Midsummer Night's Dream and Owen Wingrave, the Department of Opera and Music Theater at the University Mozarteum Salzburg is once again devoting itself to Benjamin Britten's abysmal music-theatrical œuvre. This winter semester, two of his masterpieces will be performed: Albert Herring in December 2022 will be followed by The Turn of the Screw in January 2023.
Production
Musical direction: Gernot Sahler Scenic direction: Alexander von Pfeil Stage and costume design: Yea Eun Hong Dramaturgy: Malte Krasting
Cast
Lady Billows: Julia Heiler / Katarina Radovanovic Florence Pike: Miriam Bitschnau / Jovana Timotijevic (study assignment) Miss Wordsworth: Jungeun Oh / Heekyung Park Mr. Gedge: Xiaofei Liu / Max Tavella Mr. Upfold: Chanyoung Kim Superintendent Budd: Elias Ruben Mädler / Emil Ugrinov Sid: Jakob Mitterrutzner / Franz Schilling / Brett Pruunsild (study assignment) Albert Herring: Johannes Hubmer / Lucas Pellbäck (study assignment) Nancy: Florentina Serles Mrs. Herring: Livia Hübel / Génesis López da Silva Emmie: Maria Luisa Geladari / Anja Rechberger Cis: Maria Luisa Geladari / Anja Rechberger Harry: Thorhildur Kristinsdóttir
