View source for Der Protagonist

{{about|the 1926 opera and 1920 play|other topics|protagonist (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox opera
| name = {{lang|de|Der Protagonist}}
| type = ''[[Literaturoper]]''
| composer = [[Kurt Weill]]
| image = Bundesarchiv Bild 146-2005-0119, Kurt Weill.jpg
| caption = The composer in 1932
| image_upright = 
| librettist = [[Georg Kaiser]]
| language = German
| based_on = 
| premiere_date = {{Start date|1926|03|27|df=y}}
| premiere_location = [[Semperoper]], Dresden
}}
'''''Der Protagonist''''' (''The Protagonist'') is an [[opera]] in one act by [[Kurt Weill]], his [[Opus number|Op.]] 15. The German [[libretto]] was written by [[Georg Kaiser]] based on his own play of the same name of (1920). Weill's first surviving opera has been described as ''[[Literaturoper]]''.<ref>[https://americansymphony.org/concert-notes/the-protagonist-op-14-1925/ "''The Protagonist'', Op. 14 (1925)"], analysis by Bryan Gilliam (1996), [[American Symphony Orchestra]]</ref>

==Performance history==
It was first performed on 27 March 1926 at the [[Semperoper]] in Dresden, when it was directed by {{ill|Josef Gielen|de}} and conducted by [[Fritz Busch]]. It was given again at the [[Städtische Oper Berlin]] in October 1928 directed by Walter Brügmann and conducted by [[Robert F. Denzler]], this time as a double bill with ''[[Der Zar lässt sich photographieren]]''.

Post-war performances have included productions at the [[Deutsche Oper am Rhein]], Düsseldorf, in April 1958 (the first German post-war performance), directed by Friedrich Wilhelm Andreas and conducted by Friedrich Brenn; [[Santa Fe Opera]] from 31 July 1993, directed by Jonathan Eaton and conducted by [[George Manahan]] (coupled with ''Der Zar lässt sich photographieren''). An Austrian premiere of the opera took place only on 17 November 2000 in a production of the [[University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna]] at [[Schönbrunn Palace]], directed by Sebastian Müller and conducted by {{ill|Marino Formenti|de}}. It was followed by the [[Bregenz Festival]] from 21 July 2004, with the direction of {{ill|Nicolas Brieger|de}} and conducted by [[Yakov Kreizberg]] (coupled with Weill's ''[[Royal Palace (opera)|Royal Palace]]'').<ref>[https://chronik.bregenzerfestspiele.com/saison-2004/der-protagonist-royal-palace "''Der Protagonist'' / ''Royal Palace''"], performance details, [[Bregenz Festival]], Summer 2004 (in German)</ref>

==Roles==
{| class="wikitable"
|+{{sronly|Roles, voice types, premiere cast}}
!Role
![[Voice type]]
!Premiere cast, 27 March 1926<ref>*{{Almanacco|dmy=27 March 1926|match=Der Protagonist}}</ref><br />Conductor: [[Fritz Busch]]
|-
|The protagonist
|[[tenor]]
|Curt Taucher
|-
|His sister
|[[soprano]]
|Elisa Stünzner
|-
|First actor
|[[bass (voice type)|bass]]
|Robert Büssel
|-
|Second actor
|[[baritone]]
|Rudolf Schmalnauer
|-
|Third actor
|[[contralto]]
|Elfriede Haberkorn
|-
|The majordomo of the duke
|tenor
|Ludwig Eybisch
|-
|Young lord
|baritone
|[[Paul Schöffler]]
|-
|Innkeeper
|bass
|Adolf Schoepflin
|-
|colspan=3|Eight musicians
|}

==Recordings==
'''Weill: ''Der Protagonist ''''' – Berlin German Symphony Orchestra
*Conductor: [[John Mauceri]]
*Principal singers: Corby Welch, Matthias Koch, Alexander Marco-Buhrmester, Robert Worle, Jan Buchwald, Matteo de Monti, Johannes von Duisburg, Amanda Halgrimson
*Recording date: 1 May 2002
*Label: Capriccio – 60 086 (CD)

==References==
<references />

==Further reading==
*[[Stephen Hinton|Hinton, Stephen]] (1992), "''Der Protagonist''", ''[[The New Grove Dictionary of Opera]]'', ed. [[Stanley Sadie]] (London) {{ISBN|0-333-73432-7}}

==External links==
*[https://www.kwf.org/pages/ww-der-protagonist.html Work details], Kurt Weill Foundation

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Protagonist, Der}}
[[Category:Operas by Kurt Weill]]
[[Category:German-language operas]]
[[Category:One-act operas]]
[[Category:Operas]]
[[Category:1926 operas]]
[[Category:Operas based on plays]]
[[Category:Opera world premieres at the Semperoper]]