Der Rattenfänger von Hameln

1879 grand opera by Viktor Nessler

Der Rattenfänger von Hameln (The Rat-Catcher of Hamelin or The Piper of Hamelin) is a grand opera (Große Oper) in five acts by Viktor Nessler. The German libretto by Friedrich Hofmann [de] is based on a 1875 romantic poem by Julius Wolff about the Pied Piper of Hamelin.

## Performance history

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The opera was first performed at the Neues Stadttheater in Leipzig, on 19 March 1879, conducted by Arthur Nikisch.[1] The first performance in the U.S. was at the Thalia Theatre, New York City, on 28 April 1886 conducted by John Lund.[2]

The premiere in Vienna was given in 1897, which the critic Eduard Hanslick attended. He regarded the opera as overly long and old fashioned.

## Roles

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Roles, voice types Role  | Voice type

|

Hunold Singuf, the rat-catcher | baritone
Bertholdus de Sunneborne, the bailiff | bass
Heribert de Sunneborne, son of Bertholdus, in love with Regina | tenor
Ethelerus, a clerk, also in love with Regina | tenor
Gertrud, a fisher-girl | soprano
Wulf, a smith, in love with Gertrude | baritone
Isfried Rhynperg, canon | bass
Wichard Gruwelhot, the mayor | bass
Regina, the mayor's daughter | soprano
Dorothea, Regina's cousin | contralto

## Synopsis

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The 13th-century tale is about Hunold Singuf, a name given by Wolff in his poem to the "pied piper", who rids the town of Hamelin of its rats. Hunold is not suitably rewarded by the townspeople, and they pay a terrible price when he lures all the children away and they disappear.

## References

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1. ^ Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Der Rattenfänger von Hameln, 19 March 1879". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
2. ^ "Amusements – Thalia Theatre", The New York Times, 29 April 1886, p. 4

## Further reading

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* Franklin, Peter (1992), "Rattenfänger von Hameln, Der" in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London) ISBN 0-333-73432-7

## External links

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* Der Rattenfänger von Hameln (Nessler): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
* Review, 7 February 2004, production at Mittelsächsisches Theater [de], in Freiberg, Saxony

* v
* t
* e

Pied Piper of Hamelin

Film|

* The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1918)
* Cheating the Piper (1920)
* The Pied Piper (1933)
* Paying the Piper (1949)
* The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1957)
* The Pied Piper of Guadalupe (1961)
* The Pied Piper (1972)
* Kummatty (1979)
* Fluteman (1982)
* Abra Cadabra (1983)
* The Pied Piper (1986)
* It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown (2000)

Literature|

* Politically Correct Bedtime Stories (1994)
* King Rat (1998)
* Wild Blood (1999)
* The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (2001)
* The Rats of Hamelin (2005)
* Peter & Max: A Fables Novel (2009)
* The Pied Piper of Hamelin (2011)

Television|

* Hamelen (1970s series)
* Pied Piper Puss (The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show episode, 1980)
* The Pied Piper of Hamelin (Faerie Tale Theatre episode, 1985)
* The Day of the Clown (The Sarah Jane Adventures story)
* "Scatty Safari" (The Goodies episode)

Music|

* Der Rattenfänger von Hameln (1879 opera)
* Clarinet Concerto (Copland, 1948)
* "Mr. Tambourine Man" (1965 Bob Dylan song)
* "The Piper" (1980 ABBA song)
* Pied Piper Fantasy (1982 Corigliano concerto)
* "Symphony of Destruction" (1992 Megadeth song)
* "The Sound Above My Hair" (2009 Scooter video)

Characters|

* Pied Piper (The Flash)
* Rat King (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

Story within a story|

* Testament (1983 film)
* The Flies (1943 Sartre play)
* Montag aus Licht § Scene 2: Der Kinderfänger (1988 Stockhausen opera)

Related|

* Literary accounts
* Pied Piper's House in Hamelin
* Ratcatcher's Day

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* Opera

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