40:
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The Christ Child appears with the little elf bringing the tree for
Trautchen but tells everyone that he has also come to bring the sick child to heaven. The elf takes pity on Trautchen and offers to take her place. The Christ Child agrees, grants the elf a soul, and gives permission for him come back
385:
appears and announces that he will bring
Trautchen the Christmas tree this year. Elflein is fascinated by him, but Tannengreis warns him to stay away from humans and their religion. After a dance by young men and forest maidens prevents the servants from cutting down a tree, angels appear to announce
673:
399:
Herr von
Gumpach scolds Franz and Jochen for not having returned with a Christmas tree. They protest that they have seen the living Christ Child, but he doesn't believe them and Frieder openly mocks them. Tannengreis comes looking for the little elf and is hidden behind the stove by Frieder.
366:
Elflein, a little elf living in the forest, asks his friend
Tannengreis, an old tree spirit, why humans ring bells and sing at Christmas and what it all means. Tannengreis expresses his dislike and mistrust of humans. Frieder appears in the forest on his way to the village doctor. His sister
407:
Christ-Elflein is brought up to heaven by the angels. Trautchen is cured, Frieder regains his belief in God, and
Tannengreis is reconciled to humans. All present join in the Christmas celebrations.
141:
began life as incidental music by
Pfitzner for a Christmas fairy-tale play by the German writer Ilse von Stach (Pfitzner's lover at the time). This version premiered on 11 December 1906 at the
166:(comic opera). He adapted and shortened the play and turned some of the speaking and silent roles into ones for singers. The revised version premiered on 11 December 1917 at the
156:
It would fain be simple and childlike; it is childish. It would fain be religious; it is sentimental. It would fain be serious; it is in bad taste, it is ridiculous.
130:
by
Pfitzner. It was later revised by the composer into a two-act opera (the version performed today) which premiered in Dresden on 11 December 1917.
370:
Franz and Jochen, servants of
Frieder and Trautchen's father, enter the forest to cut down a Christmas tree and end up having an encounter with
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Trautchen is brought into the room, and Knecht
Ruprecht arrives with village children to explain the tradition of the Christmas tree.
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Trautchen is dying and he no longer believes in God. He tells the elf that he too has no time for his questions about
Christmas.
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that it is Christmas Eve, a holy night. The Christ Child leaves for the von Gumpach house. Elflein goes with him.
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to earth every Christmas to visit Tannengreis. His new name will be "Christ-Elflein" (Christ's Little Elf).
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as Christ-Elflein, Martina Rüping as the Christ Child, and Friedmann Rohlig as Tannengreis (2004). Label:
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The revised version continues to be performed occasionally in German-speaking countries, e.g. by the
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126:. The work was originally premiered in 1906 as a Christmas play by von Stach with
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Hans Pfitzner, the composer of the opera, by Wanda von Debschitz-Kunowski, ca 1910
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in the title role, and has subsequently had two more full-length recordings.
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646:"Weihnachtsopern? „Christelflein“ in Hamburg, „Königskinder“ in Berlin"
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as Tannengreis (recorded live 30 November 1979, released 1999). Label:
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for the first time in 1954 when it was given a concert performance in
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The premiere was not a success. The German critic Eduard Wahl wrote:
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During the summer of 1917 Pfitzner revised the work as a two-act
95:
804:
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27:
214:
718:. In some performance versions, there is also a narrator.
465:(dialogue replaced with text narrative by Alois Fink) –
237:
452:
as Christ-Elflein, Janet Perry as the Christ Child, and
440:(dialogue replaced with text narrative by Alois Fink) –
735:. Music Web International. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
374:
whom they initially assume is a toy seller and then a
557:, Vol. 72, No. 3 (Aug., 1991), p. 474. Retrieved via
133:
727:The synopsis is based on Lace, Ian (March 2001).
911:
149:with the actress Maja Reubke in the title role.
213:. The opera was broadcast on German television
619:"The Arts: Classical - The Compact Collection"
820:
691:"Programm vom Sonntag, dem 25. Dezember 1955"
515:. The title in English is sometimes given as
519:. See for example, Kennedy and Bourne (1996)
528:Kennedy, Michael and Bourne, Joyce (1996).
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813:
791:(orchestration, roles, and brief synopsis)
509:The German title is sometimes rendered as
38:
776:International Music Score Library Project
706:Roles and their voice types sourced from
351:
199:Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg
333:Choruses of village children and angels
260:"Old Fir Tree", Christ-Elflein's friend
912:
572:
570:
534:The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music
395:The von Gumpach house on Christmas Eve
808:
676:, p. 22. Retrieved 15 December 2012
644:Pachl, Peter P. (19 December 2008).
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567:
13:
134:Background and performance history
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752:(sound recording) / Hans Pfitzner
211:New England Conservatory of Music
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578:Programme notes to "Overture to
431:as Christ-Elflein (1955) Label:
314:The village doctor (spoken role)
186:was an admirer of the work, but
168:Königlich-Sächsisches Hoftheater
92:Königlich-Sächsisches Hoftheater
801:(cpo 777 155–2) on Opera Today.
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617:Cowan, Rob (2 February 2001).
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319:Frieder and Trauchten's mother
1:
754:. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
693:. Retrieved 15 December 2012
654:. Retrieved 15 December 2012
536:. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
496:
410:
114:) is an opera in two acts by
674:"Free Conservatory Concerts"
7:
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601:, p. 348. Chronik Verlag.
597:Zöchling, Dieter (1990).
467:Münchner Rundfunkorchester
442:Münchner Rundfunkorchester
201:in 2008, and was heard in
194:who had slain Hercules ".
81:11 December 1917
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859:Die Rose vom Liebesgarten
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797:of the 2004 recording of
586:Boston Symphony Orchestra
545:Williamson, John (1991).
421:Rundfunkorchester Hamburg
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517:The Little Christmas Elf
491:List of Christmas operas
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170:in Dresden conducted by
112:The Little Elf of Christ
940:Operas by Hans Pfitzner
678:(subscription required)
633:(subscription required)
563:(subscription required)
145:in Munich conducted by
920:German-language operas
745:Chicago Public Library
551:by Johann Peter Vogel"
429:Anneliese Rothenberger
363:
223:Anneliese Rothenberger
217:in 1955, conducted by
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16:Opera by Hans Pfitzner
945:Operas based on plays
576:Hale, Philip (1912).
355:
348:A forest in midwinter
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118:to a German-language
733:. Orfeo C 437 992 I"
672:(11 December 1954).
599:Die Chronik der Oper
530:"Christelflein, Das"
302:a servant of Gumpach
295:a servant of Gumpach
248:Das Christkindchen,
180:Grete Merrem-Nikisch
143:Prinzregententheater
789:Boosey & Hawkes
729:"Recording review:
716:Boosey & Hawkes
555:Music & Letters
182:in the title role.
867:Das Christ-Elflein
799:Das Christ-Elflein
783:Das Christ-Elflein
731:Das Christ-Elflein
710:Das Christ-Elflein
580:Das Christ-Elflein
463:Das Christ-Elflein
438:Das Christ-Elflein
419:(with dialogue) –
417:Das Christ-Elflein
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317:Frau von Gumpach,
275:Herr von Gumpach (
236:the little Christ-
190:spoke of it as a "
139:Das Christ-Elflein
107:Das Christ-Elflein
22:Das Christ-Elflein
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906:
851:Der arme Heinrich
770:Das Christelflein
750:Das Christelflein
689:Tvprogramme.net.
651:neue musikzeitung
631:15 December 2012
561:15 December 2012
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425:Wilhelm Schüchter
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471:Claus Peter Flor
309:Frieder's sister
234:Christ-Elflein,
192:Lernaean serpent
128:incidental music
122:by Pfitzner and
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327:Saint Peter
307:Trauchten,
250:the little
207:Jordan Hall
147:Felix Mottl
914:Categories
875:Palestrina
607:3611001287
497:References
411:Recordings
85:1917-12-11
50:Librettist
768:Score of
547:"Review:
359:with the
282:Frieder,
255:(soprano)
163:spieloper
901:Category
883:Das Herz
629:Highbeam
485:See also
338:Synopsis
300:Jochen,
277:baritone
120:libretto
77:Premiere
69:Language
774:at the
772:, Op.20
376:warlock
304:(tenor)
293:Franz,
284:his son
243:soprano
209:by the
96:Dresden
83: (
935:Operas
886:(1930)
878:(1917)
862:(1900)
854:(1895)
843:Operas
795:Review
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297:(bass)
272:(bass)
203:Boston
72:German
559:Jstor
473:with
458:Orfeo
448:with
427:with
390:Act 2
343:Act 1
288:tenor
229:Roles
221:with
174:with
28:Opera
603:ISBN
381:The
264:bass
215:NWDR
787:on
714:on
479:cpo
433:NDR
238:Elf
30:by
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