Der Widerspänstigen Zähmung Explained

(also: ) (English: The Taming of the Shrew) is a German-language comic opera in four acts by the German composer Hermann Goetz. It was written between 1868 and 1872 and first performed at the National Theatre Mannheim on 11 October 1874 under the conductor . The libretto, by and the composer, is based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The style of the opera shows Goetz turning away from the musical ideas of Richard Wagner towards the classicism of Mozart. was a huge success, not only in Germany but in the United States and in Great Britain, where it received high praise from George Bernard Shaw.

Roles

!Role!Voice type!Premiere cast, October 11, 1874
Conductor: Ernst Frank
Baptista, a rich gentleman of PaduabassKarl Ditt
Katharine, Baptista's daughtersopranoOttilie Ottiker
Bianka (Bianca), Baptista's daughtersopranoIda Auer-Herbeck
Petruchio, a gentleman from VeronabaritoneEduard Schlosser
Grumio, Petruchio's servantbass
Lucentio, Bianca's suitortenorCarl Slovak
Hortensio, Bianca's suitorbaritoneAugust Knapp
Hortensio's wifemezzo-soprano
A tailortenor

Recordings