The black spider

Green Hunter | Morality | Superstition

With an epidemic of the plague threatening the village, young Christine concludes a pact on behalf of the worried farmers with the «great hunter» (aka the devil). The latter saves the village, only to return years later as a black spider to claim an unbaptised child.

How much of an effect do morality and ethics have on how we go about our dealings? Should third parties pay the price for our affluence? And can altruism – loving thy neighbour – still serve as an example in modern times?

These were the questions dealt with by Jeremias Gotthelf in his 1842 novelle «The black spider» – a dark Swiss tale of guilt, atonement and the highs and lows of human nature.

A century later, Willy Burkhard turned the story into an opera in two acts. The abstract treatment he gave it, along with the prominent role of the chorus, turn the piece into something of an oratorio. In a second version, the composer turned over the entire handling of the plot to a narrator. Each of the two acts comprises seven individual tableaux with clear musical structures.

The Hochschule Luzern – Musik has taken this oratorical framework and turned the second version of the opera into a concert rather than scenic performance, bringing the depth of the music and the storyline very much to the fore. What makes Burkhard’s composition so special is the dramatic, expressive scoring of Gotthelf’s dark tale, made all the more captivating by the modern, multi-faceted choir and the riveting musical storytelling.