Tubin, Eduard
Opera in 6 scenes for 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, alto, 3 tenors, 2 baritones and orchestra. Libretto by Jaan Kross after Aino Kallas.
The priest in Reigi has a dramatic, ironic and exciting plot that takes place in Swedish spoken areas on the island of Dagö and in Reval during the Swedish era*. Thus, the main roles depict Swedes. It is a hybrid between spoken theatre and sung opera – a historical musical, you could say. The text is very entertaining if the expression is allowed in the context of an opera that ends with beheading and a despairing priest who cannot believe that his wife left him. * The Swedish era in Estonia began in 1561 when Sweden took over the town of Reval with the surrounding countryside on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. The end of the period comes when the Swedes capitulate to the Russian supremacy in Riga in 1710.
The opera is recorded at Ondine and you can get a taster at @musikweb. There is also an English translation on the CD.
ETW 113
1971
Kross, Jaan / Kallas, Aino
2222-4231-12-0-str
85
Nordiska Musikförlaget
Tubin is recognised as an outstanding symphonist in Sweden and elsewhere and revered as the national composer of Estonia.