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Liberated from its ludicrous libretto: how the magnificence of Oberon can be properly heard at last
Weber's opera Oberon, written for Covent Garden 200 years ago shortly before his death in 1826, is finally being appreciated for its musical brilliance despite a notoriously nonsensical libretto. Conductor Sir Mark Elder, preparing to lead its Proms premiere, argues that Weber was a brilliant composer let down by poor choices of librettist across all three of his major operas, and that a reworked narration can now let the music shine as it deserves.
Weber died of tuberculosis aged 39, just after Oberon's premiere, and was later reburied in Dresden thanks to funds raised by an admiring Wagner. His operas Der Freischütz and Euryanthe suffer similarly from weak texts despite inventive, colourful scores. Oberon's original story, by James Robinson Planché, is a sprawling fantasy of fairies, pirates and crusaders that no longer plays well to modern audiences, so for the Proms performance writer Timothy Knapman has created a new narration, spoken by Tamsin Greig, while the music itself remains untouched.
In short
- Weber's Oberon gets a Proms premiere with a reworked narrative text
- Original 1826 libretto seen as absurd; music considered brilliant
- New narration by Timothy Knapman, narrated by Tamsin Greig, conducted by Mark Elder
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Weber's magnificent musical invention—the true heart of his artistry—was composed in response to a libretto that, by virtually universal acknowledgement, is fundamentally weak and has prevented the work from reaching audiences for two centuries. Since only the narration is being changed whilst every note of his score remains untouched, thoughtfully modernising the spoken elements allows the genuine artistic achievement to shine through and be properly appreciated by contemporary listeners. This is a pragmatic solution that preserves what truly matters—the music—whilst removing the barrier that has obscured it.
The case against
Opera is an indivisible marriage of music and text, not separable components, and Weber composed his score in direct response to Planché's specific libretto in ways that cannot be recreated with a replacement narration. Discarding the original text, however imperfect, severs the work from its historical context and artistic wholeness, treating it as something broken that needs modern correction rather than respecting the complete artistic vision as it actually exists. This approach privileges contemporary taste over authenticity and sets a troubling precedent for 'improving' historical artworks to suit current preferences.
Explained simply
Carl Maria von Weber was a German composer best known for helping shape early Romantic opera, with music that used vivid orchestral colours and drew on folklore. Oberon was written for London’s Covent Garden and first performed in 1826, shortly before Weber died aged 39. His other major operas include Der Freischütz and Euryanthe.
Oberon follows a magical tale involving fairies, pirates and crusaders, based on a libretto by playwright James Robinson Planché. A libretto is the text sung or spoken in an opera, and the story’s sprawling plot has often been seen as a barrier to enjoying Weber’s music. The work raises a broader question about how performances can make older operas accessible while preserving the original scores.