Der Silbersee
Ein Wintermärchen (1932-33)

Play with music, in three acts.
Book and lyrics by Georg Kaiser.

Synopsis
Song List
Performance Information
Principal Productions
Recordings

Photo from original production

Olim's castle, from the original production, Leipzig, 1933.

Synopsis

It is winter and hunger has struck the land around the Silver Lake. Severin and his compatriots break into a grocery store to steal food; as they escape Olim the policeman shoots Severin and takes him to the prison hospital. Olim then has an attack of conscience and decides to change the records so that Severin is set free. Around this time, Olim happens to win the lottery, and he buys a castle with the proceeds. He takes Severin there with him to nurse him back to health.

Olim hires Frau von Luber and Baron Laur to maintain the castle, and they immediately start to conspire to take it from him. Then von Luber's niece Fennimore finds out that Olim is the one who shot Severin. In a rage, Severin chases Olim to an attic room. As Olim hides, von Luber brings him a document to sign, which in reality will cede the castle to her and Laur. Her revenge cannot be completed, though, because Fennimore manages to heal the breach between Olim and Severin. Von Luber throws her out, then reveals her trick to Olim, so that Olim and Severin too must leave the castle on a stormy winter night. In despair, they walk toward the Silver Lake in order to drown themselves, but when they reach it, winter turns to spring while the lake remains a sheet of ice, which they walk across to new hope.

Song list

Gräbst du?
Wir tragen den Toten zu Grabe
Der Bäkker backt ums Morgenrot (Severin und vier Burschen)
Wir sind zwei Mädchen (Song der beiden Verkäuferinnen)
Was zahlen Sie für einen Rat? (Krone des Gewinns or Tango des Lotterie-Agents)
Was soll ich essen in der Morgenfrühe?
Ich bin eine arme Verwandte (Fennimores Lied)
Rom hiess eine Stadt (Ballade von Cäsars Tod)
Erst trifft dich die Kugel (Rache-Aria)
Auf jener Strasse
Wie Odysseus an den Mast des Schiffes
Es wächst uns in den Mund der Wein (Schlaraffenland-Song)
Alles was ist, ist beginnen

Performance Information

English title: The Silver Lake, A Winter's Tale
Cast: Singing roles -- Olim (baritone), Severin (tenor), Frau von Luber (mezzo-soprano), Fennimore (soprano), Baron Laur (tenor), Lottery Agent (tenor), Four Comrades of Severin (two baritones, two basses), Two Shopgirls (sopranos), chorus, SATB.
Speaking roles -- a fat policeman, an old doctor, a young doctor, a nurse, a servant, people.
Orchestra: 2 (2 picc).1.2.1; 0.2.2.0.; piano, harp, timp; strings.
Duration: full evening, 70 minutes music
Published Editions: piano-vocal score, Universal Edition, UE 10464
Performance Rights and Rentals: USA, UK, BREV: EAMC
All other territories: FBE/UE
Authorized Translations: English -- Jonathan Eaton

Guide to orchestration, territory abbreviations, and publishers' symbols.

Principal productions

February 18, 1933, Leipzig, Altes Theater, Detlef Sierck, dir., Gustav Brecher, cond. (simultaneous premieres in Magdeburg and Erfurt)
September 19, 1955, Berlin, Berliner Festwochen, Hans Lietzau, dir., Boris Blacher, cond. (music arranged by Blacher)
March 20, 1980, New York City Opera, Harold Prince, dir., Julius Rudel, cond. (English adaptation by Hugh Wheeler and Lys Symonette)
March 30, 1987, London, Camden Festival, John Eaton, dir., Antony Shelley, cond. (in English)
October 8, 1995, Wien, Jeunesse Musicale Kurt Weill Festival, Bruno Berger, dir., Walter Kobéra, cond.
April 1, 1999, London, Broomhill Opera, Gordon Anderson, dir., Charles Hazlewood, cond. (in English)

Recordings

Nonesuch DB-79003	New York City Opera, Julius Rudel, cond. (English adaptation)
Capriccio CD 60 011-2	Wolfgang Schmidt, Hans Korte, Hildegard Heichele, Eva Tamassy, Pro Musica Köln, König Ensemble, Kölner Rundfunkorchester, Jan Latham-König, cond.
RCA Red Seal CD 09026-63447-2	Heinz Kruse, HK Gruber, Juanita Lascarro, London Sinfonietta, Markus Stenz, cond.