| Der junge Lord | |
|---|---|
| Opera by Hans Werner Henze | |
 The composer in 1960 | |
| Librettist | Ingeborg Bachmann |
| Language | German |
| Based on | "Der Affe als Mensch" by Wilhelm Hauff |
| Premiere | 7 April 1965 |
Der junge Lord (The Young Lord) is an opera in two acts by Hans Werner Henze to a German libretto by Ingeborg Bachmann, after Wilhelm Hauff's 1827 fairy tale "Der Affe als Mensch" (The Ape as Man) from Der Scheik von Alessandria und seine Sklaven (The Sheik of Alexandria and his Slaves).
The style and plot owe much to Italian opera buffa, with the influence of Vincenzo Bellini and Gioachino Rossini noted.[1] Andrew Porter has noted four distinct musical styles in the opera, corresponding to four different levels of characters:[2]
- "neo-classical" style, for the townspeople;
- "neo-Straussian arioso", for Sir Edgar's entrance;
- a "wilder, more erratic" style, for the traveling circus;
- lyrical style, for Luise's love music.
Robert Henderson has commented on the Brechtian nature of Bachmann and Henze's treatment of the story.[3]
- ^ Helm, Everett (January 1966). "Current Chronicle". The Musical Quarterly. LII (1): 101–106. doi:10.1093/mq/LII.1.101.
Jamie James (17 November 1996). "A Master Awaiting Acclaim". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 February 2008. - ^ Porter, Andrew (June 1965). "Reports from Abroad: Berlin – Henze's New Opera". The Musical Times. 106 (1468): 453–455. doi:10.2307/951068. JSTOR 951068.
- ^ Henderson, Robert (December 1969). "Music in London: Opera – Der junge Lord". The Musical Times. 110 (1522): 1266.