FULL CHRISTINA (Gefors) Stockholm 1986 Birgitta Svendén, Margareta Hallin, Per-Arne Wahlgren, Gunilla af Malmborg
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Christina
- Composer: Gefors Hans
- Libretto: Lars Forsell Libretto Text, Libretto Index
- Venue & Opera Company: Kungliga Teatern, Stockholm
- Recorded: 1986
- Type: Staged Opera Live
- Singers: Andreas Unge, Birgitta Svendén, Margareta Hallin, Per-Arne Wahlgren, Gunilla af Malmborg, Curt Appelgren, John-Erik Jacobsson, Torbjörn Lillieqvist, Keijo Salmela, Jorunn Svensk Johannes, Alf Olsson, Lennart Stregård, Agneta Lundgren, Sten Wahlund, Michael Hjelmåker, Helge Brilioth, Holger Bak
- Conductor: Gary Berkson
- Orchestra: Kungliga Hovkapellet
- Chorus: Kungliga Teaterns Kör
- Choreographer: Regina Beck-Friis
- Stage Director: Göran Järvefeldt
- Stage Designer: Kathrine Hysing
- Costume Designer: Kathrine Hysing
- Lighting Designer: Hans-Ake Sjöquist
Information about the Recording
- Published by: SVT
- Date Published: 1986
- Format: Broadcast
- Quality Video: 3 Audio:3
- Subtitles: nosubs
- Video Recording from: YouTube FULL VIDEO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
A full-length opera, commissioned by a Swedish institution and written by two Swedes – this is one of the more unusual situations due to the ever-increasing costs of producing opera and musical theatre that the institutions are struggling with. But in October such an opera had its premiere anyway – “”Christina”” is the title, and the work is based on one of Lars Forssell’s most extensive dramas “”Christina Alexandra””, written in 1968. Work on the opera began in 1982. Queen Christina is the main character and appears in three episodes: as a child, an adult and as an old man. She is portrayed by three different actors/singers. The original idea was to portray Christina in an unusual way in an opera context – through an actor. There are examples – for example from Hilding Rosenberg’s “”Marionettes””, but the end result was more conventional for technical reasons and the roles were filled with opera singers.
When the opera begins, 6-year-old Christina is dragged out of her bed by her queen mother to witness an execution: “”That’s how it goes for Catholics””, is the underlying message.
The young Christina knows she needs to break away from the narrow Swedish environment. Catholicism and its cultural life grow into an irresistible magnet. But before that, Christina has met the Unknown, the only one who will offer her a love that can match God’s.
He follows her to Rome, but after the disappointment of the decadence surrounding the papacy, Christina cannot face the fact that the Unknown will continue to give her his love. Blinded, she exploits her power and has him executed. The opera ends with the Unknown resurrecting within Christina and offering her the original, fresh love that she remembers from her time in Stockholm. “”Christina”” is a grand opera in every sense of the word; the authors have not shied away from the grandiose effects – grotesques, perversions, mutilations – side by side with subtle depictions of the psychological complexity of Christina and her fellow actors.
The music was composed by the young composer Hans Gefors (born 1952), who has a somewhat unusual background in that he was raised equally in the Swedish and Danish musical traditions.
By Zagorka Zivkovic