Meyerbeer: Alimelek

Rudner, Ola, Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen

CDO 1125

Opera in two acts after a fairy tale from A Thousand and One Night

Jan Kobow, Lars Woldt, Britta Stallmeister, Timothy Oliver

The story takes place in Baghdad during the reign of Caliph Harun-al-Rashid, and the opera is best imagined as a beautiful fairy tale. At the heart of this store are two young people, the rich merchant’s son Alimelek and Irene, the Caliph’s niece. Both grow up in prosperity and idleness.

After the death of her parents, Irene was received by the caliph and brought up with paternal love and an uncommon freedom. Unfortunately, she also takes the liberty to refuse Prince Selim, the Caliph’s choice of husband, which considerably troubles her relationship with the Caliph. She is considering fleeing the palace and an opportunity arises when a pleasure boat she is travelling on is hit by a storm and capsizes. Only Irene is rescued from the tragedy, by the hand of Alimelek, who, wanting for anything better to do, happens to be at sea. When Irene opens her eyes, it is love at first sight and the two decide to live together as man and wife in Alimelek’s grandiose home. Of course, Alimelek must hide his young wife, because the Caliph has people all over the town looking for her. Fully in love and in favour of a more secluded life Alimelek decides to break with his previous drinking companions, upon whom he has already wasted half the fortune he inherited from his father, and whom he now has less and less regard as his friends. From now on his hospitality is only shown to strangers for fear that Irene’s identity will be recognized.

CD x 2

Sterling

9.02.2021

7393338112525