• Year of composition: The score was existing by 1864, but the year of composition is uncertain (according Monumenta Musicae Svecicae. Franz Berwald, Sämtliche Werke. Vol. 18. Bärenreiter, BA 4918)
• Work category: Opera
• Text author: Franz Berwald (with the assistance of Ludvig Josephson)
• First performed: First stage performance on 3 April 1968 [on the day 100 years after Berwald's passing], the Royal Opera, Stockholm. (Earlier concert performances in Gothenburg 1933 and Sveriges Radio 1957 and 1963.) Conductor: Stig Westerberg. Soloists: Elisabeth Söderström (Aline), Birgit Nordin (Zelie), Erik Saedén (Saint Phar), Rolf Jupither (Sadomar), Sven-Olof Eliasson (Nadir), Carl-Axel Hallgren (Abdala), Sven Erik Vikström (Kaleb), Paul Höglund (Osmin)
• Duration: Approx. 90-120 min
• Detailed duration: 105 minutes (according to live recording from 1958, broadcasted by P2 on 20 June 2009; Contributors: Carrie Nilsson, Marianne Öhrn, Ingvar Wixell, Erik Sundquist, Uno Ebrelius, Sven-Erik Jacobsson, Radiokören [The Swedish Radio Choir], Kungliga Filharmonikerna [The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra], conductor: Tor Mann)
  About 2,5 hours (according to the programme leaflet for the performance in 1968)

Instrumentation

2*.2.2.2 / 4.2.3.0 / timp, hp, org / str
(picc)

Solo voices/choir

Aline [Queen of Golconda], soprano
Zélie [Lady-in-waiting and confidant of the Queen], soprano
Saint Phar [French envoy], baritone
Sadomar [Prime Minister], baritone
Nadir [Commander of the Royal Lifeguard], tenor
Abdala [Master of the Royal Household], baritone
Kaleb [Head of the Security Police], tenor
Osmin [President of the High Court], baritone

Ladies-in-waiting and servants of the Queen, Soldiers, People of Golconda, Bayaderes, St. Phar's retinue, etc.


2 sopranos (Aline, Zélie), 2 tenors (Nadir, Kaleb), 4 baritones (Saint Phar, Sadomar, Abdala, Osmin)
Female choir (S.A.), Male choir (T.T.B.B.), Mixed choir (S.A.T.B.)
Dancers etc.

Examples of printed editions

Monumenta Musicae Svecicae. Franz Berwald, Sämtliche Werke. Vol. 18. Bärenreiter, BA 4918

Literature

See Monumenta Musicae Svecicae. Franz Berwald, Sämtliche Werke. Vol. 18. Bärenreiter, BA 4918

Description of work

Overture: Allegro assai A minor 4/4 (C)

Act I
The stage represents a room in the Queen’s palace, lavishly decorated in Indian style.

Scene 1: The Queen is surrounded by eight young Drottningen omgifven af åtta unga Ladies-in-waiting, perfecting her attire. A few Devadasis, holding småll harps in their hands, form dancing groups. Aline, Åtta hofdamer, Bayaderer [Devadasis]
Scene 2: Aline
Scene 3: Aline, Zélie
Scene 4: De förre [The above], Abdala
Scene 5: De förre [The above], Nadir
Scene 6: Zélie, Nadir
Scene 7: Sadomar
Scene 8: Sadomar, Osmin along with a number of subordinate clerks dressed as judges.
Scene 9: De förre [The above], Kaleb along with a number of subordinate clerks in fantasy dress.
Scene 10: Osmin, Kaleb, Manskör [Male choir]
Scene 11: De förre [The above], Sadomar
Scene 12: De förre [The above], Saint Phar along with a Suite, led by Nadir and Ardala. Dansande Bayaderer [Dancing Devadasis] strew flowers on his path.
Marcia: Allegro risoluto C major 4/4 (C)
Scene 13: De förre [The above]. Aline (beslöjad [veiled]), Zélie, Hofdamer och Pager [Ladies-in-waiting and Pages]


Act II
The stage represents a picturesque French village area.

Scene 1: Courtiers, all dressed as shepherds and shepherdesses enter.
Scene 2: De förre [The above], Nadir
Scene 3: De förre [The above], Zélie
Scene 4: De förre [The above], Aline
Scene 5: Sadomar, Kaleb, Osmin along with two servants dressed as shepherds.
Scene 6: Kaleb (hiding), Zélie, along with two boys carrying a chair adorned with flowers.
Scene 7: Saint Phar. Chör som höres ifrån Kapellet [A choir which is heard from the Chapel].
Scene 8: Saint Phar, Zélie, carrying a flower basket. Four young girls carrying fruits and flowers. A young farm boy drives a small wagon fully loaded with flowers and pulled by a donkey or pony.
Scene 9: Saint Phar, Aline (dressed in a Provençal folk costume)
Scene 10: Saint Phar, Aline, Zélie. The wedding party: A bride and groom, A crowd of male and female peasants, Artisans, Some Tricksters and Fiddlers start the procession. Shepherds and shepherdesses dance, as well as farm boys and girls, dressed in Provençal folk costumes. The Choir enters, bearing wedding. The other performers form groups, playing and drinking.
[Instrumental] Poco Allegro e Maestoso G major 3/4
Dance of Shepherdesses and Provençales. Secretely, The Queen pours some sleeping potion in a golden goblet filled with wine.
Ballet: Larghetto F major 6/8
Folk Dance: Allegro vivace A minor – A major 2/4
Scene 11: De förre [The above], Nadir
Scene 12: De förre [The above], Nadir (Saint Phar, who has drunk from the wine, is carried away, asleep.)
Scene 13: De förre [The above], Nadir, Abdala and a group of armed men


Act III
The stage represents a large hall in the palace.

Scene 1: Aline, Zélie, Nadir, Ardala
Scene 2: Aline, Zélie, Sadomar
Scene 3: Kaleb, Sadomar, Osmin
Scene 4: Saint Phar (no longer asleep)
Scene 5: Saint Phar, Kaleb, Sadomar, Osmin
Scene 6: Saint Phar, Kaleb
Scene 7: De förre [The above], Zélie
Scene 8: Aline, Zélie. Sound of weapons and canons.
Scene 9: De förre [The above], Saint Phar
Scene 10: The stage represents the harbour of Golconda and the French fleet is seen; French soldiers, people and dancing Devadasis form a diverse and colourful group.
Scene 11: Aline, who has been rescued by Saint Phar reveals her face to him. They acknowledge that they love each other. Aline, Zélie, Saint Phar, Nadir, Ardala, Hoffolk [Courtiers, Ladies-in-waiting], Pager [Pages]

[For the complete storyline (in Swedish), see the Swedish page of the same work.]

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Work comment

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Libretto/text