Ferdinand Ries (28 November 1784 [baptised] – 13 January 1838) was a German composer. Ries was a friend, pupil and secretary of Ludwig van Beethoven. He composed eight symphonies, a violin concerto, eight piano concertos, three operas, and numerous other works in many genres, including 26 string quartets. He was one of the greatest piano virtuosos of his time.
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Die Räuberbraut, Op. 156 (1827)
Librettist: Georg Döring (1789–1833)
Dedication: Ludewig, Großherzog von Hessen
Act I
1. Introduction. Wilkommen zum Feste (Chorus, Anselmo, Gianettina, Graf) (0:00)
2. Duet. O Vater, nein! (Laura, Graf) (5:33)
3. Recitativo e Coro. Er ist entfloh'n! (Roberto, Chorus) (10:33)
4. Recitativo ed Aria. Welche Qualen! (Laura) (14:33)
5. Marcia (22:18)
6. Duetto e Coro. O Freund! (Fernando, Carlo, Chorus) (24:16)
7. Not recorded
8. Finale. Allegro molto (29:12)
Laura: Soprano – Ruth Ziesak
Gianettina: Soprano – Julia Borchert
Fernando: Tenor – Thomas Blondelle
Graf Viterbo: Baritone – Jochen Kupfer
Anselmo: Baritone – Christian Immler
Carlo: Bass-baritone – Konstantin Wolff
Räuberhauptmann Roberto: Bass – Yorck Felix Speer
Pietro: Tenor – Dirk Schmietz
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln & WDR Rundfunkchor Köln conducted by Howard Griffiths.
Die Räuberbraut (The Robber's Bride), Op. 156, is an opera in 3 acts by Ferdinand Ries, written in 1828. The opera was a surprise hit. Ferdinand Ries marked his operatic debut with this opera. This work was heard in not only cities in Germany, but in Amsterdam, Paris, and London. This opera shows that Ries was capable of writing highly effective music for the stage.
Synopsis of Act I
On his birthday, the count of Viterbo discloses that he is the victim of a political intrigue and must flee the country. Of all people, his own foster son Pietro has betrayed him to the usurper who has seized control of the land. The Count entrusts his daughter Laura to the protection of his castellan Anselmo and the latter's daughter Gianettina
Pietro, seeking to win the bounty placed on the Count's head, hopes for support from the fearless bandit chief Roberto, who has an old score to settle with the Count: he had once asked for Laura's hand in marriage, only to be turned down and banished as a social inferior. But Roberto chases the intriguer away.
Roberto meets Laura, who is now outlawed and thus his social equal. He offers to save her father – if she agrees to marry him. Overcoming deep misgivings, she finally consents to his plan.
Soldiers under the command of Fernando and Carlo came to arrest the Count. Roberto spirits him out of the castle at the last moment. Fernando motes a likeness between a portrait of Laura and a lovely unknown girl he had rescued from mortal danger in Palermo a year earlier. When Laura enters, he immediately recognizes her. But before Pietro can reveal her secret – that she is not Gianettina's sister, but the Count's daughter – he is shot dead by Roberto.
The Trio and the Chorus of Brigands created a great stir at a concert performance in December 1828, while Ries was still working on the finale. The full premiere of the opera was scheduled for early 1829, but had to be cancelled due to quarrels over the casting and payment of the lead female role causing the rehearsals to be broken off. The exasperated Ries stated, "It's a dreadful setback to my plans."
Finally after several postponements, the premiere took place on 15 October and was well received. Ries reported to his brother, "With huge applause from the audience, the house was full to bursting. My wife wept almost the entire evening, and since then my home has not been empty of friends."
Even at the premier, Ries was still looking for "effects." He was deleting numbers that seemed "fatiguant" in rehearsal, and scuttling entire choruses and scenes. He devoted attention to the "lovely character" of the bandit chief Roberto, who "has conquered the hearts of all the girls." He also made sure that the melodies("Everyone here is humming them") were disseminated in arrangements.
In February 1830, Ries conducted the work in Cologne. Ries wrote to his brother saying, "The moment I stepped out, I was given a clamorous reception from the audience and a fanfare from the orchestra. For these resources, it was an extraordinary performance." In 1831 Ries presented the opera to the King of Prussia in Berlin. Due to this, Ries could acquire some different resources: the great vocal tragedienne Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient, the celebrated singer of Fidelio and later three Wagner premieres.
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