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

Music at the Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong> in Stockholm…
3) Aria from The Creation, Haydn
4) Trio from The Magic Flute, Mozart
Second section
5) Overture to Athalie, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
6) a) Duet from The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart; b) Ballade from the opera
Kung Karls jagdt [The Hunt of King Charles], Fredrik Pacius
7) Introduction and theme with variations for violin composed by A Randel
8) Duet from the opera I Gladiatori, Foroni
Third section
9) Symphony no. 6 “Pastorale”, Beethoven
103
It became more and more common to perform complete multi-movement
works after 1850, the previous practice being to perform just one (or a
few) individual movement or to split the movements between the sections.
Beethoven’s symphonies and overtures were at the heart of the symphonic
repertoire, as was Mendelssohn’s orchestral and incidental music. In general,
the repertoire did not differ so much from that in the other cities before
the 1850s, but after that time seemed to follow the older tradition for a
little longer (see Weber), especially with regard to instrumental music.
Visiting performers at the Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong>
From time to time visiting musicians put on concerts as individual enterprises
both on and off the Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong> stage. The proportion of
concerts arranged by the theatre, its employed artists as individual enterprises,
and visiting artists varied from year to year. In general, 16 there were
more concerts arranged by artists employed at the Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong> or
in its orchestra in the 1850s and 1860s. Fewer employed artists arranged
them in the 1870s, whereas the <strong>Opera</strong> and visiting artists became more
active. The fact that so many of the concerts were organised by individual
entrepreneurs, despite the high costs and the risk of not selling enough
tickets to make a profit, indicates the prestige of the Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong>
as a venue that was worth the financial risk. Giving a concert there may
have lowered the threshold for obtaining a place in the orchestra, and thus
16 Based on a statistical survey of the playbills posted daily outside the Royal Swedish
<strong>Opera</strong> between 1844 and 1880: Kungliga Teaterns arkiv (The Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong>
archive), “Kungliga teaterns äldre affischsamling”, L1A 1844-1880; copies of these
playbills are available at the Royal Swedish <strong>Opera</strong> Library in Stockholm (at the opera
house).