File:1803 * Beethoven (oratorio).jpg

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Christus am Ölberge <German> / Christ on the Mount of Olives (1803) is an oratorio by Ludwig van Beethoven (mus.) and Franz Xaver Huber (libr.).

Abstract

Beethoven composed his only oratorio in 1802-03, based on a libretto by poet Franz Xaver Huber.

Christus am Ölberge may not be reckoned among Beethoven's greatest compositions but represents a milestone in the history of interpretation of the figure of Jesus in Western culture. For the first time Jesus appeared as a dramatic persona either in an oratorio or in an opera. The oratorio offered indeed a more humanistic portrayal of the Christ passion than other settings, placing the emphasis on Jesus' own decision to accept his fate rather than on the later Crucifixion or Resurrection. The operatic role given to Jesus was considered so bold and offensive, that in 1830 it was supplied with a new libretto by Henry Hudson and performed as Engedi; or, David in the Wilderness.

Beethoven's intuition that Jesus could be a credible character in a dramatic oratorio or musical play was "vindicated" only in the 1970s by the success of two musicals, the first focusing on the Life of Jesus (Godspell), the other on his Passion (Jesus Christ Superstar).

Characters

Editions, performances

Premiered on Vienna, Austria: Theater an der Wien, 5 April 1803. Revised in 1804.

Published in Leipzig [Germany]: 1811.

Adaptations

Performance History

After its premiere in Vienna in 1803 the oratorio was often performed when the composer was still alive--in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Russia. It arrived in London (in English translation) in 1814 and in 1824 in Milan (in Italian translation).

Very little is known about the cast of these early performances. Oratorios were often produced semi-privately in churches, conservatories, or in the house of some nobility with an amateurish cast. Only of the 1814 London premiere and of a Florence performance in 1827 we know the names of the professional interpreters, led by tenors James Kendrick Pyne and Ferdinando Ceccherini, respectively. We have records of numerous other performances in Italy, in Turin (1830), Naples (where in 1842 was conduced by Saverio Mercadante), and Rome (1853). In the meantime, in 183O a completely new libretto was written by Henry Hudson, which moved the story to an "Old Testament" setting. A long time of oblivion followed, until the "rediscovery" of the oratorio in the 20th century. Today the work is performed, in its original text, with some frequency in theaters all around the world and is available in sound & video recordings.

Vienna 1803 (world premiere)

London 1814

Milan 1824

Florence 1827

Vienna 1955 (sound recording)

  • Released on vinyl.

1957 (radio production, sound recording)

1960 (sound recording)

1963 (sound recording)

Vienna 1965 (sound recording)

Philadelphia 1965 (sound recording)

1970 (sound recording)

Bonn 1970 (sound recording)

1970, Bonn, Beethovenhalle.

Interpreti: Nicolai Gedda, Cristina Deutekom; Hans Sotin. Coro Teatro Bonn, Coro Filarmonico e Orchestra “Beethovenhalle” Bonn, dir. Volker Wangenheim.

Released in 1971

Emi, 3C 065- 29 029 (LP 33 stereo-mono; 1 disco)

Venice 1970 (stage production, sound recording)

1970, luglio, 4, Venezia, Fenice.

Interpreti: Lajos Kozma; Cristina Deutekom; Franz Lindauer. Coro e orchestra Gran Teatro “La Fenice” Venezia, dir. Riccardo Muti.

Arkadia, CDGI 743 (CD mono, ricostruzione tecnica digitale; con Fantasia, in ? dischi)

Vienna 1970 (sound recording)

Interpreti: James King, Elizabeth Harwood; Franz Crass. Unione Corale viennese e Orchestra Sinfonica Vienna, dir. Bernhard Klee.

Deutsche Grammophon, 2530 228 (LP 33 stereo-mono; 1 disco)

Berlin 1970 (sound recording)

Jesus: Jozsef Réty Seraph: Sylvia Geszty Petrus: Hermann Christian Polster Solistenvereinigung und Grosser Chor des Berliner Rundfunks Rundfunk Sinfonie-Orchester Berlin Helmut Koch, conductor 1970

Lyon 1986 (sound recording)

1986, giugno, Lyon, Auditorium Maurice Ravel.

Interpreti: James Anderson; Monica Pick-Hieronimi; Victor Von Halem. Chœurs Et Orchestre National de Lyon, dir. Serge Baudo.

Released on vinyl (1987) and CD (1987).

Harmonia Mundi, HMC 90.5181 (CD digitale; 1 disco), 52’28”

Stuttgart 1993 (sound recording)

1993, gennaio/febbraio, Stuttgart, Liederhalle, Hegelsaal. Recording: February 1994, Stuttgart Liederhalle, Hegelsaal, Germany.

Interpreti: Keith Lewis; Maria Venuti; Michel Brodard. Cantoria Gäkingen e “Collegium Bach” Stoccarda, dir. Helmuth Rilling.

Hänssler, 98 993 (CD digitale; con Messa, in 2 dischi), 53’52”

Stuttgart 1997 (sound recording)

released on Mar 25, 1997

Recorded at Liederhalle Stuttgart

Berlin 2002 (sound recording)

2002, settembre, Berlin, Jesus-Christus-Kirche.

Interpreti: Plácido Domingo; Luba Orgonasová; Andreas Schmidt. Rundfunkchor Berlin, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, dir. Kent Nagano.

Released on CD (2003)

Harmonia Mundi, HMC 90.1802 (CD digitale; 1 disco), 47’35” Harmonia Mundi, HMC 80.1802 (SACD digitale; 1 disco)

Kiev 2012 (sound recording)

  • National Organ House, Kiev, Ukraine (28 March 2012)

Bologna 2015 (stage production)

  • Bologna, Italy: 25 November 2015

Munich 2015 (video recording)

Paris 2018 (stage production)

  • Paris, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées: 16 January 2018

External links

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