• Year of composition: 1912-17, revised 1928-35 (according to Henrik Karlsson's works list, 2004).
  Notes in pencil in the autograph of Act II: "The 2nd act's score was completed on 20 Oct. 1916 after the 1st (in March) and the 3rd (in July). W. P.-B."
• Work category: Opera
• Text author: Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
• First performed: 21 February 1919 at the Royal Opera (conductor: Armas Järnefelt).
  Participants: Liva Järnefelt (Kristina), Richard Strandberg (Bengt Skytte), Signe Schillander (Fru Kerstin), Ingeborg Sunesson (Görvel Måårdh), Conny Molin (Lennart Sporre), Åke Wallgren (Rector Magnificus), Gustaf Sjöberg (Johan Bure), Ernst Svedelius (Klas Mugg), Oscar Ralf (Simon Wolimhaus), Josef Herou (Johan Papegoja), Bror Arrhenius (Borgmästaren), Anna Edström (Elin), Julia Jahnke (Brita), Ruth Whitefield-Althén (Emerentia), Fredrik Ericson (Bryngel), Anna Bartels (Kajsa), Martin Oscàr (Östen), David Stockman (Lars), and others (according to Henrik Karlsson's works list, 2004)
• Duration: Approx. 90-120 min
• Detailed duration: 120' (according to the radio broadcast from 1984; 175' according to a reprise broadcast from 1986); however, certain roles are missing from the cast list, so the work was likely shortened for this version.

Instrumentation

3*.3*.3*.3* / 4.3.3.1 / timp, perc, hp, cel, org / str
(picc, cor angl, bass clar, dbn)
perc: trgl, bass dr, cymb, tam, sn dr, (church bells)

Solo voices/choir

Kristina, Sveriges drottning [Christina, Queen of Sweden] (mezzo-soprano)
Bengt Skytte, landshövding över Uppsala län [Govenor over Uppsala county] (baritone)
Fru Kerstin, hans gemål [his consort] (alto)
Görvel Måårdh, hans unga fränka [his young relative] (soprano)
Lennart Sporre, kapten [captain] (baritone)
Johan Stjernadler, adlig student [noble student] (baritone)
Göran Sperling, adlig student [noble student] (tenor)
Arvid Ribbing, adlig student [noble student] (tenor)
Måns Korck, adlig student [noble student] (baritone)
Rector Magnificus (baritone)
Exegetices Professor (baritone)
Professor Ptolemaicus (tenor)
Juris Patrii Professor (bass)
Anatomiæ Professor (bass)
Logices Professor (tenor)
Poëseos Professor (tenor)
Johan Bure, assessor, riksantikvarie [assessor, national antiquarian] (baritone)
Simon Wolimhaus, apotekare, inflyttad tysk [apothecary, German immigrant] (tenor)
Johan Papegoja, skeppskommendant, emigrantvärvare [naval commandant, emigrant recruiter] (baritone)
Borgmästaren [the mayor] (bass)
Klas Mugg, innehavarare av tavernan och gästhuset ”Muggen” [proprietor of the taverna and guest house ’Muggen’] (bass)
Elin, hans dotter [his daughter] (soprano)
Brita, grytgjutarenka [pan smith’s widow] (alto)
Emerentia, hennes dotter [her daughter] (soprano)
Bryngel Östensson, bonde från Helsingland [farmer from the province of Hälsingland] (baritone)
Kajsa, hans hustru [his wife] (soprano)
Östen, sergeant, deras son [their son] (baritone)
Lars, studerande, deras son [their son] (tenor)
Konsistorieskrivaren [clerk at the consistorium academicum] (tenor)
Kursor [university porter] (bass)

[Förridaren (the forerider; spoken role)]
Akademivaktmästaren (= anföraren för akademiska vakten) [head of the academic guard (mute? role)]

Drottningens uppvaktning, betjening och eskort; de tio övriga professorerna i (större) akademiska konsistoriet; adliga och ofrälse studenter; universitetets (två) pedeller [universitetstjänstemän] och vaktsoldater; från tyska kriget hemsända invalider; rådmän, borgare, folk [the Queen’s entourage, servants and escort; the other ten professors of the [major] consistorium academicum; students, noblemen and commoners; the two bedels (university officials), and guards; repatriated invalids from the German war (i.e., the Thirty Years’ War); councillors, burghers, people]

Solo voices: 4 sopranos (Görvel, Elin, Emerentia, Kajsa), 1 mezzo-soprano (Kristina), 2 altos (Kerstin, Brita), 8 tenors (Sperling, Ribbing, Professor Ptolemaicus, Logices Professor, Poësos Professor, Wolimhaus, Lars, Konsistorieskrivaren), 10 baritones (Bengt, Lennart, Stjernadler, Korck, Rector, Exegetices Professor, Bure, Papegoja, Bryngel, Östen), 5 basses (Juris Patrii Professor, Anatomiæ Professor, Borgmästaren, Mugg, Kursor); 1 spoken role (Förridaren); 1 mute [?] role (Akademivaktmästaren)

Men's choir, T.T.B.B. (Invalider, Borgare, Adliga studenter), T.T.Bar.Bar.B.B. (Students)
Women's duet, S.S. (Novitier [novitius = new entrants to a student nation])
Mixed choir, S.A.T.B.

• Location autograph: Musik- och teaterbiblioteket
• Possible call no. and autograph comment: Z/Sv (The autograph is in three parts, one for each act; at Musik- och teaterbiblioteket there is also a piano reduction in manuscript - the number of scenes and the scene divisions differ, however, from the libretto and the score.

Literature

The libretto is published by Abraham Lundquists K. Hofmusikhandel (printed by Kungl. Hofboktryckeriet Iduns Tryckeri-A.-B., Stockholm, 1912)
Karlsson, Henrik: Wilhelm Peterson-Berger. Verkförteckning [List of works] (2004) [available at the Musik- och teaterbiblioteket]

Description of work

[Scenes according to the libretto]

Setting: Uppsala 27 and 28 May (old style)*/ year 1647 [*/ = Julian calender]

Act I
The yard in front of the ”Muggen” inn, with a view of the cathedral

Prelude: Maestoso, con moto gajo [sic] B-flat major 6/4

The curtain opens

Scene 1: Elin

Scene 2: Klas, Elin

Scene 3: Elin

Scene 4: Brita, Emerentia, Elin

Scene 5: Måns, Elin, 1. Studenten [1st student], 2. Studenten [2nd student]

Scene 6: Elin, Lars,

Scene 7: Papegoja, Lars, Elin, En kvinnoröst (bakom scenen) [a woman’s voice (behind the stage)]

Scene 8: Papegoja, Soldater [Soldiers], Östen, Lars, Elin

Scene 9: Bure, Lars, Elin

Scene 10: Elin, Lars, Papegoja

Scene 11: Papegoja, Östen, Elin [Soldater (Soldiers)]

Scene 12: Lennart, Fru Kerstin [Mistress Kerstin], Papegoja, Östen, Görvel [Elin, Invalider (Invalides)]

Scene 13: Lennart, Elin

Scene 14: Lennart, Bure

Scene 15: Wolimhaus, Bure, Borgmästaren [The mayor], Logices Professor

Scene 16: Lennart, Stjernadler, Sperling, Wolimhaus, Ribbing, Bure, Invalider [Invalides], Ribbing, Sperling, Stjernadler [Elin]

Scene 17: Lars, Måns Korck, De äldre studenterna [The senior students], Logices Professor, Borgmästaren [The mayor], Östen, Stjernadler, Lennart, Sperling, Papegoja, Bure, Novitier [new entrants to a student nation (offstage, in the inn] (Elin)

Scene 18: Kursor [The university porter], Lennart, Klas, Elin, Rector Magnificus (Logices Professor, Pedellerna [The pedels], Akademivaktmästaren [The head of the academic guard], Vaktsoldaterna [The guards])


Act II
The hearing by the consistorium academicum

Prelude: Andante con moto G-flat major 3/4

The same day, in the evening.
Outside the cathedral. To the left is the house where the consistorium’s sessions take place.

Scene 1: The church bells announcing the vespers are heard already before the opening of the curtain. Kvinnor, Andra kvinnor, Äldre borgare, Studenter, En borgare, En annan, Klas, En kvinna, En äldre borgare [Women, Other women, Senior burghers, Students, A burgher, Another (burgher), Klas, A woman, A senior burgher]

Scene 2: Lennart, Klas

Scene 3: Görvel, Lennart [Klas]

Scene 4: Papegoja, Östen, Borgare [Burghers], Studenter [Students], Invalider [Invalids]

Scene 5: Lennart, Papegoja, Östen

Scene 6: Lennart, Sperling, Stjernadler, Ribbing, Fem adliga studenter [Five noble students]

Scene 7: Bure, Lennart, Elin

Scene 8: People come out of the cathedral to the sound of the organ. Lennart, Wolimhaus, Folket (Kvinnor, Ofrälse studenter, Professorer, Invalider, Borgare [Women, Students (commoners), Professors, Invalides, Burghers]), Ribbing, Sperling, Stjernadler, Rector Magnificus, Bryngel, Kajsa

Scene 9: Östen, Bryngel, Kajsa, Brita, Emerentia, Lennart, Klas, Elin

Scene 10: Kajsa, Brita, Bryngel

All but Bure leave the stage. The curtain closes. Change of scenes.

Intermezzo (instrumental): Grave, various key signatures, 3/2
(A note in the autograph states that trumpets and trombones are to be placed behind the curtain, sounding from above. The sound should be as free as possible, as if it came from the upper edge of the stage opening right above the footlights.)

Scene 11: The rather dimly lit session room of the consistorium. Rector, Kursor [The university porter], Skrivaren [The clerk], Ribbing, Anatomiæ Professor, Poëseos Professor, Wolimhaus, Lennart

Scene 12: The two pedels enter. You can hear a distant thunder. A sharp lightning bolt lights up the room, followed by silence and then a massive thunder clap. Rector, Professor Ptolemaicus, Bure, Professorerna i scen 11 [The same professors as in scene 11], Papegoja, Lennart, Poëseos Professor, Exegetices Professor, Juris Patrii Professor, Östen, Elin, Klas, Måns, Wolimhaus, Elin, Körer utanför scenen (Kvinnor, De fem adliga studenterna, Andra studenter, Borgare) [Choirs offstage (Women, The five noble students, Other students, Burghers])

[Lightning bolt. Peal of thunder.]

Scene 13: Bure, Lennart, Elin

Scene 14: Lennart, Elin

Scene 15: Elin (The university porter)

[Lightning bolt. Elin rushes out. As the curtain closes there is a massive peal of thunder.]



Act III
Lauds

Prelude: Con moto (moderato), various key signatures, 4/4 (C)

The next morning. Uppsala Castle hill, below the north tower, which is partially visible. Dawn.

Scene 1: Lars, Elin

Scene 2: Elin, Lars

Scene 3: Studenterna [The students], Lennart

Scene 4: Studenterna [The students], Lennart, Görvel

Scene 5: Lennart, Alla karlarna (Vaktposten, 8 musikanter och basunister, samt 4 kanoniärer) [All men (The sentinel, 8 musicians and trombonists, and 4 Gunners)]

Scene 6: Lars, Elin

Scene 7: Lennart, Folket (mindre manskör) [People (a small men’s choir)], Bure, Wolimhaus, Klas, Östen, Bryngel, Kajsa, Lars, Papegoja, Elin, Brita, Emerentia, Alla ofrälse studenter [Students (all the commoners)], Alla invalider [All invalides], Alla professorer [All professors], Alla borgare [All burghers], (Choir offstage: Women, Men)

Scene 8: Sunrise. A forerider passes over the stage.
A couple of students raise a triumphal arch of green leaves, with a shield inscribed ”VIVAT VIVAT CHRISTINA SERENISSIMA SUECIÆ REGINA!” The musicians continually blow their instruments from the roof of the tower, and there are frequent cannon shots.

Drottningen Kristinas intåg [Queen Christina’s entrance] (instrumental): Animato alla marcia D major 4/4 (C)

First enters a group of soldiers, thereafter pages and male entourage. Three young students, dressed as the Three Graces, dance in front of the Queen’s litter. After them come another ten, dressed as Apollo and the Muses, who form a guard of honour around the Queen’s litter. Förridaren (talroll) [The forerider (spoken role)], Lennart, Alla studenterna [All students], Drottningen [The Queen], Bure, Wolimhaus, Bryngel, Några studenter [Some students], Några professorer [Some professors], Folket [People]

Scene 9: Drottningen [The Queen], Bengt Skytte, Görvel, Lennart, Bryngel, Klas, Hela församlingen [The whole assembly] (women's choir, men's choir)

Fanfares from the tower, salutes, waving. The Queen waves and exits, followed by the costumed students, the Govenor and his wife, and the remaining entourage. Wolimhaus and Bure shake hands. The people, laughing, point at the two doomsday prophets, exchanging an augur’s gaze while the curtain closes.

Fine

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Work comment

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Libretto/text