Act 1
Interlude
Act 2
Act 3
Interlude
Act 4
Act 5

• Year of composition: 1935
• Work category: Opera
• Text author: Natanael Berg after the 1840 tragedy 'Judith' by Friedrich Hebbel (1813-1863)
• First performed: 22nd February, 1936 at the Kungliga Operan [Royal Opera], Stockholm
  Performers: Brita Hertzberg (Judith), Joel Berglund (Holofernes), Karin Rydqvist (Mirza), Simon Edwardsen (Ephraim), Conny Molin (Achior), Olle Strandberg (Assad), Folke Jonsson (Daniel), Sven Herdenberg (Samaja), Emile Stiebel (Översteprästen [The High Priest]), Leon Björker (Den äldste i Bethulien [The Eldest in Bethulia]), Sigurd Björling (En krigare [A Warrior]), Gösta Bäckelin (En drabant [A Trabant]), Gösta Bergström (Sändebud från Lybien [Envoy from Libya]), Sven d'Ailly (Sändebud från Nebukadnesar [Envoy from Nebuchadrezzar]), Gösta Lindberg (Sändebud från Mesopotamien [Envoy from Mesopotamia]), Folke Cembraeus, Linné Rydh, Georg Svensson, Folke Rydberg, Ryno Wallin (Hövitsmän [Generals]), Gösta Lindberg (En tjänare [A Servant]). Conductor: Nils Grevillius
• Duration: Approx. 120-180 min
• Detailed duration: 2 hours 15 minutes (according to the theatre poster from the premiere; probably including interlude/-s)

Instrumentation

3*.3*.3*.3. / 4.2.3.1 / baryton / timp, perc, hp, cel / str
picc, cor angl, bass clar, dbn

Solo voices/choir

Solo voices: 2 sopranos (Judith, Mirza), 5 tenors (Ephraim, etc.), 8 baritones (Holofernes, Achior, Assad, etc.), 6 basses (Daniel, etc.)
Female choir, S.S.A.A.
Male choir, T.T.B.B.
Mixed choir, S.S.A.T.T.B.

Examples of printed editions

Piano-vocal score at Musik- och teaterbiblioteket, location mark 2008/1220 (online catalogue)

The libretto: K. L. Svensson, Karlskrona 1954, available at Musik- och teaterbiblioteket, location mark D 627:1 (online catalogue)

Location for score and part material

Score and parts can be purchased/for rent from Stim/Svensk musik

Literature

Ralf, Klas: Kungliga teatern. Repertoar 1773-1973 [The Royal Theatre/Opera. Repertoire 1773-1973; in Swedish, only]. Stockholm (1974)

Description of work

Act 1
I Holofernes läger utanför staden Bethulen, biblisk tid [At the military camp of Holofernes, outside the town of Bethulia. Biblical times].
Holofernes, Översteprästen, drabanten, en krigare, sändebudet, sändebudet från Mesopotamien, Achior [Holofernes, The High Priest, The Trabant, A Warrior, The Envoy, The Envoy from Mesopotamia, Achior]

Mellanspel [Interlude]

Act 2
I Judiths gemak [In Judith’s luxurious room]
Judith, Mirza, Ephraim

Act 3
Öppen plats i Bethulien [An open space in Bethulia].
Den äldste [The Eldest], Assad, Daniel, folket [The Crowd], Samaja, Judith, Achior, Mirza

Mellanspel [Interlude]

Act 4
Första tablån. I Holofernes tält [The first scene. In Holofernes’s tent].
Tre hövitsmän [Three generals], Holofernes, Judith, Mirza, Ephraim, tjänaren [The Servant]
Andra tablån. I Holofernes tält [The second scene. In Holofernes’s tent].
Mirza, Judith

Act 5
Öppen plats i Bethulien [An open space in Bethulia].
Folket [The Crowd], Mirza, vakten [The Guard], Judith, Achior, de äldste [The Eldest], Ephraim

Links

Score example (first 10 pages) available at Stim/Svensk musik

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Libretto/text