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{{Short description|Opera by Hans Werner Henze}}
{{Infobox opera
| name = Der junge Lord
| genre = [[Opera]]
| composer = [[Hans Werner Henze]]
| image = Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F008277-0008, Köln, Schloss Brühl, Meisterkurse Musik.jpg
| image_upright = 
| caption = The composer in 1960
| librettist = [[Ingeborg Bachmann]]
| language = German
| based_on = {{based on|"Der Affe als Mensch"|[[Wilhelm Hauff]]}}
| premiere_date = {{Start date|1965|04|07|df=y}}
| premiere_location = [[Deutsche Oper Berlin]]
}}
'''''Der junge Lord''''' (''The Young Lord'') is an [[opera]] in two acts by [[Hans Werner Henze]] to a German [[libretto]] by [[Ingeborg Bachmann]], after [[Wilhelm Hauff]]'s 1827 fairy tale "Der Affe als Mensch" (The Ape as Man) from ''Der Scheik von Alessandria und seine Sklaven'' (The Sheik of Alexandria and his Slaves).

The style and plot owe much to Italian [[opera buffa]], with the influence of [[Vincenzo Bellini]] and [[Gioachino Rossini]] noted.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Helm|first=Everett|title=Current Chronicle|journal=[[The Musical Quarterly]]|volume=LII|issue=1|date=January 1966|pages=101–106|doi=10.1093/mq/LII.1.101}}<br />{{cite news | author=Jamie James | title=A Master Awaiting Acclaim| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/17/arts/a-master-awaiting-acclaim.html?pagewanted=all | work=[[The New York Times]]|date=17 November 1996| access-date=16 February 2008}}</ref> [[Andrew Porter (music critic)|Andrew Porter]] has noted four distinct musical styles in the opera, corresponding to four different levels of characters:<ref>{{cite journal|last=Porter|first=Andrew|author-link=Andrew Porter (music critic)|title=Reports from Abroad: Berlin – Henze's New Opera|journal=[[The Musical Times]]|volume=106|issue=1468|date=June 1965|pages=453–455|doi=10.2307/951068|jstor=951068}}</ref>
* "[[Neoclassicism (music)|neo-classical]]" style, for the townspeople;
* "neo-[[Richard Strauss|Straussian]] arioso", for Sir Edgar's entrance;
* a "wilder, more erratic" style, for the traveling circus;
* lyrical style, for Luise's love music.

Robert Henderson has commented on the [[Bertolt Brecht|Brechtian]] nature of Bachmann and Henze's treatment of the story.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Henderson|first=Robert|title=Music in London: Opera – ''Der junge Lord''|journal=[[The Musical Times]]|volume=110|issue=1522|date=December 1969|page=1266}}</ref>

==Performance history==
The opera was commissioned by the [[Deutsche Oper Berlin]], and was first performed there on 7 April 1965. The production was by [[Rudolf Sellner]], and the conductor was [[Christoph von Dohnányi]].

==Roles==

[[File:Der junge Lord (Henze) playbill.jpg|thumb|Premiere playbill, 7 April 1965, [[Deutsche Oper Berlin]]]]
{| class="wikitable"
|+{{sronly|Roles, voice types, premiere cast}}
!Role
![[Voice type]]
!Premiere cast, 7 April 1965<ref>{{Almanacco|dmy=07-04-1965|match=Der junge Lord}}</ref><br />[[Conducting|Conductor]]: [[Christoph von Dohnányi]]<ref>{{cite journal|last=Porter|first=Andrew|title=Henze's ''Young Lord''|journal=[[The Musical Times]]|volume=110|issue=1520|date=October 1969|pages=1028–1030|doi=10.2307/953415|jstor=953415}}</ref>
|-
|Lord Barrat
|[[tenor]]
|[[Loren Driscoll]]
|-
|Luise
|[[soprano]]
|[[Edith Mathis]]
|-
|Baroness Grünwiesel
|[[mezzo-soprano]]
|[[Patricia Johnson (mezzo-soprano)|Patricia Johnson]]
|-
|Secretary to Sir Edgar
|[[baritone]]
|[[Barry McDaniel]]
|-
|Armintore
|tenor
|Günter Treptow
|-
|Begonia
|mezzo-soprano
|[[Vera Little]]
|-
|Town mayor
|[[bass-baritone]]
|Manfred Röhrl
|-
|Hasentreffer
|baritone
|Ivan Sardi and Emil Graf
|-
|Frau Hasentreffer
|soprano
|[[Lisa Otto]]
|-
|Frau von Hufnagel
|mezzo-soprano
|[[Ruth Hesse]]
|-
|Ida
|soprano
|Bella Jasper
|-
|Scharf
|baritone
|Ernst Krukowski
|-
|Von Mucker
|tenor
|[[Helmut Krebs]]
|-
|Wilhelm
|tenor
|[[Donald Grobe]]
|-
|Sir Edgar
|silent role
|[[Otto Graf]]
|}

==Synopsis==
The opera is in two acts of three scenes each, linked by interludes.

Sir Edgar, an English gentleman and scientist, visits a small German town with a vast entourage, including black slaves and a large collection of animals. The townspeople are curious about the new personage in their town, but Sir Edgar is initially aloof to the townsfolk. Through his secretary, Sir Edgar declines all invitations to social events, and the townspeople become angry at this attitude. In scene 2 of act 1, the Baroness Grünwiesel hosts a tea and expects Sir Edgar to attend, but he does not, via a note from his Moor servant. The Baroness promises revenge on Sir Edgar for this slight. In scene 3, a traveling circus sets up their show in front of Sir Edgar's residence. Sir Edgar leaves his house for the first time since his arrival, and enjoys the circus performance. However, when city officials try to talk with Sir Edgar, he again refuses. The city officials then shut the circus down, but Sir Edgar invites the circus troupe into his mansion.

At the start of act 2, several months have elapsed. A lamplighter hears screams and groans from Sir Edgar's mansion. He reports this to the town mayor, who demands an explanation from Sir Edgar. Sir Edgar's secretary explains that the noises are from Lord Barrat, Sir Edgar's nephew (the 'young lord' of the title), who has arrived recently in Germany and is learning German, but is making mistakes and is punished with lashings. However, the prospect of a pending social event at Sir Edgar's mansion becomes evident. This is fulfilled in scene 2 of act 2, where Lord Barrat is presented to the townspeople at a social event at Sir Edgar's mansion. Lord Barrat behaves eccentrically, but the townsfolk are charmed and begin to imitate his actions. Luise, the ward of the local baroness, had previously been in love with Wilhelm, a student, but now has become enamoured of the 'young lord'. Finally, in the climactic dance, Lord Barrat's attire falls from him, and he is revealed as a trained ape.

==Recording==
* [[Deutsche Grammophon]] 445 248-2 (CD reissue); [[Edith Mathis]], Bella Jasper, Vera Little, [[Donald Grobe]], [[Barry McDaniel]], Patricia Johnson, [[Loren Driscoll]], Manfred Röhrl, Günther Treptow; [[Schöneberger Sängerknaben]]; chorus and orchestra of the [[Deutsche Oper Berlin]]; [[Christoph von Dohnányi]], conductor
* Unitel Classics [[DVD]]; [[Edith Mathis]], Donald Grobe, Barry McDaniel, Loren Driscoll, Vera Little, Lisa Otto, Ernst Krukowski, Ivan Sardi, Helmut Krebs, Manfred Röhrl, Bella Jasper, Margarete Ast, Otto Graf, Charles Williams, Günther Altenburg, Leopold Klam; [[Schöneberger Sängerknaben]]; chorus and orchestra of the [[Deutsche Oper Berlin]]; [[Christoph von Dohnányi]], conductor. Gustav Rudolf Sellner (stage director), Ernst Wild (film director), recorded in Deutsche Oper Berlin, 1968.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-10-01 |title=Hans Werner Henze: Der junge Lord |url=https://www.euroarts.com/labels/7239-hans-werner-henze-der-junge-lord |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=www.euroarts.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=HENZE Junge Lord Medici Arts 2072398 [AOz]: Classical DVD Reviews - February 2009 MusicWeb-International |url=https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2009/feb09/Henze_Junge_2072398.htm |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=www.musicweb-international.com}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Hans Werner Henze|state=collapsed}}
{{Portal bar|Opera}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Junge Lord, Der}}
[[Category:Operas]]
[[Category:German-language operas]]
[[Category:Operas by Hans Werner Henze]]
[[Category:1965 operas]]
[[Category:Operas set in Germany]]
[[Category:Operas based on fairy tales]]
[[Category:Adaptations of works by Wilhelm Hauff]]