Arald is a 1942 Romanian-language 1-act opera by Nicolae Bretan.Fanfare - Volume 19, Issue 1 - Page 84 1995 "His first opera, Luceafarul (The Evening Star), was written in 1921 for Cluj's Romanian Opera. This was followed by Golem (1924), Eroii de la Rovine (1925), Horia (1937), and Arald (1942), and all but the last work received their premieres in ..." The libretto, written by the composer, is from Mihai Eminescu's poem "Strigoii" ("The Ghosts"), and tells a darker version of the Orpheus myth. The piece received its belated world premiere on May 12, 1982 at the Romanian Opera, Iași.Gagelmann, Hartmut. Nicolae Bretan: His Life—His Music. Translated by Beaumont Glass. Pendragon Press, Hillsdale, NY, 2000. p. 121: "World premiere: May 12, 1982 at the Romanian Opera, Iași. … Characters of the drama: … Voice type: … Cast of the world premiere: …"
Roles +Principal characters Role Voice type World premiere castConductor: Corneliu Calistru The Poet Bass D. Nasta Arald Tenor F. Siminic Maria Soprano M. Boga-Verdeș The Seer Bass-baritone D. M. Șuteu
Instrumentation Arald is scored for the following instruments: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons 4 horns, 3 trombones, tuba timpani harp strings
Synopsis A poet sings in prologue, extolling the virtues of the warrior Arald. As the curtain rises, Arald brings the body of his bride, Maria, to the feet of a pagan Seer. He begs him to bring her back to life, pledging his service to the Seer and the pagan gods in return. The Seer summons the elements and invokes Arald's heroic past and his love for Maria, giving Arald a potion that turns him into a ghost. Maria wakes and she and Arald join in song. As the dawn breaks, the two lovers embrace and are swallowed up by the earth, leaving the Seer behind.Gagelmann, p. 115
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