The Dallas Opera

“The Ring of Polykrates”
Opera buffa in one act
Composition 1913-1914
Libretto Julius Korngold & Leo Feld (uncredited) to a text by Heinrich Teweles
World Premiere 28 Mar 1916, Munich Court Theater
(double bill with Korngold’s one act Violanta)
Publisher Schott
Instrumentation link to Schott Music
Synopsis
Source: Liner notes. Korngold, E.W. Der Ring des Polyrates. Perf. Deutches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. Cond. Klauspeter Seibel. CPO 999-402-2, 1996. CD.
The musician Wilhelm Arndt is celebrating his great luck with his young wife Laura: he has not only just been named court music director but has also inherited a small fortune on the unexpected death of his aunt. All that is lacking is the return of his long-lost friend Peter Vogel.
And this is just what happens – Vogel arrives and views the cosy atmosphere of the Arndt household with envy. In order to provoke Wilhelm, he advises him to sacrifice something, after the model of Schiller’s “The Ring of Polycrates” ballad, this in order not to challenge fate with his great good luck. Wilhelm is supposed to start an argument with his wife by asking the “fateful question” about her former life. Laura cannot be made to lose her composure, and even her anger at the question Wilhelm has posed with a guilty conscience does not last very long. Soon the two are in each other’s arms once again.
All agree: The Ring of Polycrates, the sacrifice that has to be offered, is none other than the intriguer Peter Vogel himself, who has tried to ruin their happiness.

Theater Freiburg

The Dallas Opera presented a new production of Korngold’s first opera, Der Ring des Polykrates, in February 2018. The paper, “Limits Hath Thy Fortune Not”, which presents a background of this one-act opera and includes details about two preceding North American productions, was written to help prepare the Playbill notes for the production.
Click here to read “Limits Hath Thy Fortune Not”.

March 2016 was the centenary of the world premiere of Korngold’s first two operas. In Munich on 28 March 1916, Der Ring des Polykrates and Violanta were premiered in a double-bill production. The Museum of Music History in London created a special tribute page as part of their “Image of the Month” series, with archival images and audio recordings from Korngold biographer Brendan Carroll’s private collection.
Link to the page.

March 2016 was the centenary of the world premiere of Korngold’s first two operas. In Munich on 28 March 1916, Der Ring des Polykrates and Violanta were premiered in a double-bill production. The Museum of Music History in London created a special tribute page as part of their “Image of the Month” series, with archival images and audio recordings from Korngold biographer Brendan Carroll’s private collection.
Link to the page.