Weber's Oberon revival comes to life at the Proms

On August 4, 2026, the debut of Oberon, Carl Maria von Weber's final opera, arrived at the London Proms. The production featured a new narrative by Timothy Knapman and narration by Tamsin Greig, keeping the original score intact.

The story of Oberon and its legacy

Weber wrote Oberon in London about 200 years ago for the Covent Garden theatre. He died of tuberculosis shortly after the premiere, in 1826, at 39, and was buried north of the Barbican. A decade later, Wagner raised funds to repatriate the body, which was taken to Dresden, where it received a new burial accompanied by a wind-band fantasy based on themes from Euryanthe.

Why the libretto needs a new makeover

The libretto, by James Robinson Planché, has been described as a “phantasmagoria” that blends fairies, deserted islands, pirates, crusaders and an imagined Arabia. Elements of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” and James Bond films appear alongside comparisons to Ivor Novello’s musicals, whose extravagances have not aged well. Therefore, to stage Oberon today, the text must be rewritten; Knapman created a unique narrative that respects the original but “blows the dust off it”.

The music remains flawless

The conductor states that “the music needs not a jot of revision”, because the score retains “immediacy and daring” that still astonish. The opera’s opening, with an initial silence and three long-short-long notes on the horn, introduces Oberon’s call to his mortal chargers. Immediately after, “manic fairy energy” emerges, blending characters and melodies in a “brilliant and fast” manner. The period-instrument orchestra of the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique provides the required “litheness”, using light trombones and highlighting the colour palette, especially in the woodwinds, as Weber’s imagined thinking suggests: “Ah, this moment has got a bit of melancholy … we need to make sure this is clear. Let’s bring the clarinet in as well as the strings, to give another yearning quality.”

Production details at the Proms

Act one ends with a finale that highlights the heroine Reiza, who, after a dream, calls for Sir Huon to save her from a forced marriage. She and her servant Fatima sing a duet before a march that represents the harem guard. The director placed a small wind and percussion ensemble at the top of the stage, separate from the other musicians, to mark Reiza’s “last chance” before the doors close. The second part features Reiza’s aria, “Ocean, Thou Mighty Monster”, where she tries to lure rescue but is captured by pirates, while Huon uses the magic horn to call for help. The Grove Dictionary describes the libretto as “a picaresque farrago of nonsense”.

Vocal and choral challenges

Weber provides roles that require an “Olympic heldentenor” for Sir Huon; tenor John Findon was chosen for the part, likened to “Wimbledon”: “You have to get your first serve in when you sing this sort of music.” The choir, represented by the Monteverdi Choir, must assume multiple identities – fairies, elves, slaves, courtiers and mermaids – while Weber’s score, “full of panache and confidence”, allows the singers to shine. The conductor, who played the work as a bassoonist in a university orchestra, describes the experience as “a dream come true” and emphasizes that “the music is such fun to conduct”.

With information from The Guardian.