Opera on the Move in the Nordic Countries during the Long 19th ...

Music at the Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong> in Stockholm…
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other vocal piece (often ensemble) and another instrumental piece, and the
second part proceeded in the same fashion (or in some cases, as in Leipzig,
comprised a whole symphony or concerto (Weber 2008, p. 183). There were
differences in the concert repertoire at the Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong> depending
on the organisers (as was the case in many other places in Europe).
For example, singers tended to favour vocal music whereas instrumentalist
preferred orchestral pieces. It was also common for musicians who were
also composers to feature their own work in their concerts. An example
of this is a concert organised by Jacopo Foroni, the head conductor at the
Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong> between 1849 and 1858:
Grand vocal and instrumental concert, 24 March 1850 12
First section
1) Piano concerto (first movement), Beethoven
2) “Ouverture Mélancolique”, Foroni (composed especially for the occasion)
3) Chorus with soprano solo from the opera “Christina”, Foroni
4) a) Dream, b) Pastorale and humorous pieces, from the opera “La
Prophéte”, Meyerbeer
5) Grand overture (new) from “Struensee”, Meyerbeer
Second section
6) a) “Etude Melodique” for piano, Foroni, b) “Marche d’Ilsy” for piano,
Leopold Meyer
7) a) “Harpspelet” and b) “Glunten blir juvernal”: songs, G Wennerberg,
orchestral accompaniment, Foroni
8) “The Fischerman”: text, Schiller, music, Donizetti
9) Overture to the opera “Christina”, Foroni
10) a) Duet and b) Aria and Finale from the opera “Christina”, Foroni
Foroni conducted the orchestra and also performed as a solo pianist. Moreover,
about half of the pieces were his compositions (or arrangements). This
was the first concert he organised at the Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong> following
his appointment as head conductor there. Including many of his own pieces
was an effective way of making himself known to the Stockholm audience
not only as a performer but also as a composer. This was not uncommon
practice among composers at the time. The concerts Foroni arranged as an
individual entrepreneur later at the Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong> did not feature
his own works so heavily, which supports the view that his aim in this first
concert was to establish himself in Stockholm.
12 Concert programme published in the daily playbill, 24 March 1850, Kungliga Teaterns
arkiv (The Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong> archive), “Kungliga teaterns äldre affischsamling”,
L1A 1844-1880.