Prelude
Act 1
Act 2
Act 3

  • Year of composition: Participated in a competition in 1898 about what opera would inaugurate the opera house in Stockholm, but was not awarded.
  • Work category: Opera
  • Text author: Selma Lagerlöf after a poem by Esaias Tegnér
  • Duration: Approx. 90-120 min

Instrumentation

3.2.2.2 / 4.3.3.1 / timp, perc, 2 hp / str

Solo voices/choir

Solo voices: 2 sopranos (Ingeborg, a woman), 3 mezzo-sopranos (the sister-in-law Guatemi, Helge's queen and 2 women), 1 alto (an old women), 1 tenor (Fritiof), 1 tenor baritone (King Ring), 1 bass baritone (Hilding), 2 basses (Kung Helge, Björn)
4 fiddlers
Mixed choir, S.A.T.B. (Women, young girls, children, elderly, warriors, farmers, witches, wizards, priests, vikings, thralls and domestic servants)

Examples of printed editions

Book with 4 acts printed 1899 in Gothenburg in the E. Andrée collection and at Kungliga Biblioteket, location mark 81 Fb Br.

  • Location autograph: Musik- och teaterbiblioteket
  • Possible call no. and autograph comment: Scores and typed libretto for version with 3 acts in the E. Andrée collection.

Literature


Description of work

Prelude with 3 tableaus
Act 1
I Balders hage, utsikt åt en fjord, Balderstemplet till vänster. Forntid.
Scene 1. Ingeborg
Scene 2. Första, andra och tredje kvinnan, gammal kvinna, ung kvinna, många kvinnor, Ingeborg
Scene 3. Första, andra och tredje kvinnan, gammal kvinna, ung kvinna, många kvinnor, Ingeborg, Guatemi
Scene 4. Hilding, kvinnorna, Ingeborg, Guatemi
Scene 5. Helge, Guatemi
Scene 6. Ring, folket, Helge, Ingeborg, Guatemi

Act 2
I Balders tempel
Table 1. Guatemi, Helge, häxorna, kvinnor
Scene 2. Fritiof, Helge, häxorna, Guatemi
Table 2. Ingeborg, Hilding
Scene 2. Fritiof, Ingeborg, Björn
Scene 3. Hilding, Björn, Guatemi, Fritiof, folket, Helge

Act 3
I kungasalen
Scene 1. Ingeborg, Ring, kör bakom scenen,
Scene 2. Ring, folket, en träl, Ingeborg, trälarna, Guatemi, en kämpe, Fritiof
Scene 3. Fritiof, Guatemi, Ingeborg, Björn, en röst, en kämpe
Scene 4. Ring, Ingeborg, Fritiof


Work comment

The opera was originally written in 4 acts but was later revised to 3 acts.
Arranged for orchestra 1909, see Fritiof-suite. 

 


Libretto/text

Ingeborg: Nu är det höst,
stormande häver sig havets bröst ...