Der Widerspänstigen Zähmung

Der Widerspänstigen Zähmung (also: Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung) (English: The Taming of the Shrew) is a German-language comic opera in four acts by the German composer Hermann Goetz. It was written between 1868 and 1872 and first performed at the National Theatre Mannheim on 11 October 1874 under the conductor Ernst Frank. The libretto, by Joseph Victor Widmann and the composer, is based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The style of the opera shows Goetz turning away from the musical ideas of Richard Wagner towards the classicism of Mozart. Der Widerspänstigen Zähmung was a huge success, not only in Germany but in the United States and in Great Britain, where it received high praise from George Bernard Shaw.

Roles

Role Voice type Premiere cast, October 11, 1874
(Conductor: Ernst Frank)
Baptista, a rich gentleman of Padua bass Karl Ditt
Katharine, Baptista's daughter soprano Ottilie Ottiker
Bianka (Bianca), Baptista's daughter soprano Ida Auer-Herbeck
Petruchio, a gentleman from Verona baritone Eduard Schlosser
Grumio, Petruchio's servant bass
Lucentio, Bianca's suitor tenor Carl Slovak
Hortensio, Bianca's suitor baritone August Knapp
Hortensio's wife mezzo-soprano
A tailor tenor

Recordings

Orchestra, conducted by Joseph Keilberth (Profil, 2007)

Sources

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