1. Original version – 2. Dresden Version (1930) in 2 acts by the composer
Text by Armin Rüeger after the comedy "Don Ranudo de Colibrados” by L. Holberg
Place and time: A little Spanish town, around 1750

Characters: Don Ranudo di Colibrados, a Noble Man (bass) - Dona Olympia, his Wife (alto) - Maria, her Daughter (soprano) - Gonzalo de las Minas, a Count (tenor) - Pedro, Diener Don Ranudo’s Servant (baritone) - Leonore, Olympia’s Lady-in-waiting (soprano) - Gusman, Gonzalo’s Servant (baritone) - A Moor, Greengrocer (tenor) - A Bailiff (tenor)

Schoeck drew the inspiration to compose this opera from Ferruccio Busoni, who had introduced Schoeck to "Don Ranudo de Colibrados” by the Danish author Holberg. In his biting satire, Holberg focuses on the bizarre outgrowths of the arrogance shown by the aristocracy, as well as a no less ridiculous fixation on ranks and titles among the bourgeoisie. The play became popular on German stages in an arrangement of 1801 by Kotzebue. In this farce, the protagonist Don Ranudo - whose name can be read backwards as "O Du Narr” ("Oh, you fool” in German) - is depicted as ... a fool. Librettist Armin Rueger follows Holberg’s original to a large extent. The work is available not only in its complete form, but also in the abridged (two-act) Dresden version which Schoeck prepared himself. This version was first performed along with the dramatic cantata "Vom Fischer und syner Fru" on 3 October 1930.


CD:
Silvia Zarabella (oboe), Martin Zürcher (englisch horn), Musikkollegium Winterthur, cond. Werner Andreas Albert
cpo 999 337-2