Die Dorfschule (The Village School), Op. 64, is a 1918 German opera in one act by Felix Weingartner[1] based on act 4, scene 3, "Terakoya" (temple school), from the Japanese kabuki play Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami.[2] The plot of the scene "Terakoya" concerns the samurai Matsuōmaru, who on learning of a plot to kill the son of his feudal lord sends his own son to the village school where the son dies in his master's son's place, fulfilling the family duty.[3]

Die Dorfschule
Opera by Felix Weingartner
LanguageGerman
Based onSugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami

The subject of the opera had already been treated by the 18-year old Carl Orff as Gisei – Das Opfer, in June 1913, one of the juvenile works which Orff withdrew after 1935. Orff's treatment was based on the German translation of "Terakoya" by Karl Florenz [de].[4]

Recordings

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A 2012 recording of the opera has been issued on a 1-disc set by the German label cpo, in 2015[5] with the German Opera Orchestra, chorus and soloists conducted by Jacques Lacombe.

Dating

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The work was published in 1919[6] but composed in March 1918.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Die Dorfschule, work details at Universal Edition
  2. ^ Felix von Weingartner: Die Dorfschule: Weingartners Einakter, dessen Konzeption in das Jahr 1916
  3. ^ "Theodizee als Problem der Philosophie und Theologie", Yong Sung Kim (2002): "weiß die Hauptfigur Matsuo-maru, dass die Feinde dem Sohn seines Lehnsherrn nach dem Leben trachten. Matsuo-maru und seine Frau schicken ihren eigenen Sohn in die private Schule des Lehrers Takebe Genzo, in der sich der gesuchte ..."
  4. ^ Das Fremde und das Vertraute, p. 188
  5. ^ "Felix Weingartner: Die Dorfschule op.64 (CD) – JPC".
  6. ^ 1919 publication: ONB
  7. ^ Autograph dated March 23 1918 @ ONB