Info about this performance Read or write comments

DIE SCHWARZE SPINNE (Sutermeister) Balzers 2001 Eva Marlin, Ueli Senn, Jean-Jacques Knute, Arabelle Rozinek



Information on the Performance
Information about the Recording
  • Published by: Geo Film  
  • Date Published: 2001  
  • Format: Streaming
  • Quality Video: 3 Audio:3
  • Subtitles: nosubs  
  • This Recording is NOT AVAILABLE from a proper commercial or public source
  •  
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

The Black Spider is an opera in one act by Heinrich Sutermeister . The libretto was written by Albert Roesler . It is based on the novella of the same name by Jeremias Gotthelf . The work was created in 1936 as a radio opera commissioned by Radio Bern. After it had been adapted by the artists into a stage version, the stage premiere took place in St. Gallen in 1949.

The orchestral instrumentation of the stage version is unusual and very small: one flute (also piccolo), one clarinet (also bass clarinet), three trumpets, three trombones, percussion (three players), celesta ad libitum , piano, harmonium, one violin, one viola, one violoncello and, on stage, an organ ad libitum.

Synopsis
After all her prayers have failed to banish the plague from the country, the resolute farmer Christine decides to ask the devil personally for help. The devil assures her of his full support. As a farewell, he kisses her on the forehead. Since then, a large black mark has burned in that spot.

What hardly anyone wanted to believe before happens: the plague gradually disappears from the village. But as the plague disappears, people also avoid Christine more and more because they see her as an assistant of Satan – because of the blemish on her forehead. In desperation, the farmer’s wife turns to the priest. But because he cannot or does not want to help her, she sees the last way out in the chance to get involved with the devil again. He promises her to erase the mark. But this time he demands something in return: a child has been born today in that house on the mountainside. She should take it away from its mother and give it to him before it is baptized. Christine does as the devil tells her. At first, the kidnapping of the baby seems to work, but suddenly the priest stands in her way. He had been able to spot the devil among the dancing people and banish it. Cheated out of his reward, the devil turns Christine into a black spider. Anyone who comes into contact with it dies. The plague also returns to the village. Only the house on the mountainside is spared from the disease.

The mother knows that the black spider will not rest until it has killed her child too. She lies in wait and awaits her enemy. Finally, the moment has come: the spider has gained entry into the house on the mountain. A fierce battle ensues, in which the mother ultimately destroys the spider. Thanks to her inexhaustible love for her child, she has managed to defeat the plague. The whole village can breathe a sigh of relief.

Quoted from Wikipedia

(Visited 19 times, 5 visits today)

Post A Comment For The Creator: Flamand

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *