Loosely based on events in the life of the 14th-century German king, Günther von Schwarzburg, the opera premiered on 5 January 1777 at the Hoftheater in the Mannheim Palace.
While Holzbauer's music was praised, the drama divided its critics into those praised its strongly patriotic message, and those who thought that it lacked literary quality. Mozart attended a performance on 5 November 1777 and commented in a letter to his father on 14 November 1777:
“Holzbauer′s music is very beautiful, but the poetry is not worthy of such music. What surprises me the most is, that so old a man as Holzbauer [66 years] should still have so much spirit, for the opera is incredibly full of fire.”
– The letters of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Vol. 1, (1866) p. 122
Ignaz Holzbauer
(1711-1783)
Günther von Schwarzburg
- Günther – Robert Worle tenor
- Rudolf – Michael Schopper bass
- Anna – Claron McFadden soprano
- Asberta – Clarry Bartha soprano
- Karl – Christoph Prégardien tenor
Michael Schneider, conductor
La Stagione Orchestra and Chorus
Recording : 17-25 February 1994 Frankfurt