Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672)
- Skei, Allen B. Heinrich Schütz: A Guide to Research. Garland Composer
Resource Manuals, 1. New York: Garland, 1981. xxxi, 186p. ISBN 0-8240-
9310-0. ML134 .S412 S5.
An important annotated bibliography of 632 entries in classified order, with
author and title indexes. Gives only four citations to Dafne (1627), the first
opera with a German libretto. There are no substantial studies.
See also Giraud (#228).
Anton Schweitzer (1735–1787)
Alcesteis in GO,v.3.
Alexander Serov (1820–1871)
Operas in General
- Abraham, Gerald. “The Operas of Serov.” In Essays Presented to Egon
Wellesz(#70), 171–184.
Genesis, reception, and musical examples with technical notes. In theory,
Serov was Wagnerian, but Judith(1863) is an Italian-style opera; it was suc-
cessful despite critical condemnation by V. V. Stasov. Rogneda(1865) was
another popular work, also non-Wagnerian.
See also Richard Taruskin’s valuable overview in NGDO4, 321–325.
Individual Works
Judith (Iudith)
- Taruskin, Richard. “‘This Way to the Future’: The Case of Serov’s Judith.” In
Opera and Drama in Russia(#2648), 33–78.
That Serov’s operas are no longer staged is partly due to V. V. Stasov’s torrent
of negative writing about them. Stasov was Wagnerian, and although Serov
was of the same persuasion, Judithwas in the Italian manner. Some Wagnerian
elements occurred, nevertheless, such as a few leading motives. Production
details are given, with synopses of Judith, Rogneda,and Power of the Fiend
(Vrazh’ia sila). The Russian secondary literature is cited in 126 footnotes.
Taruskin added to the discussion of Judithin his Musorgksy(#1346).
Rogneda
- Taruskin, Richard. “Pochvennichestvoon the Russian Operatic Stage: Serov
and His Rogneda.” In Opera and Drama in Russia(#2648), 79–140.
Now “about as thoroughly forgotten as an opera can become,” Rogneda was
a popular success at its premiere, 27 October 1865, and was performed 70
times in the next five years. It was connected to the nationalist spirit in art of
the time, represented by the Pochvenniki, centered on Dostoevsky. Taruskin
gives a lucid summary of this movement—which faded in the mid–1860s—and
its impact on the genesis of the opera. In the end, Rogneda is an Italian-style
number opera, with arias, songs, and dances. Musical examples and analysis
Alexander Serov 315