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Scaramouche
Ballet-pantomime by Jean Sibelius
The composer in middle age (c. 1915)
Catalogue	Op. 71
Text	Libretto by Poul Knudsen
Composed	1912 (1912)–1913
Publisher	Edition Wilhelm Hansen (1918)
Duration	Approx. 67 minutes
Premiere
Date	12 May 1922 (1922-05-12)
Location	Copenhagen, Denmark
Conductor	Georg Høeberg
Performers	Royal Danish Orchestra

Scaramouche, Op. 71, is a tragic ballet-pantomime in two acts—comprising 21 scenes—written from 1912 to 1913 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The project, which was a collaboration with the Danish playwright Poul Knudsen, caused Sibelius great anguish—primarily because he had not understood that, when signing the commissioning contract, he was committing himself to the composition of an hour-long, full-length score. Scaramouche premiered in Copenhagen on 12 May 1922 at the Royal Danish Theatre with Georg Høeberg conducting the Royal Danish Orchestra and Johannes Poulsen originating the title role; Sibelius was not in attendance. Despite the quality of its musical material—critics at the premiere, for example, praised Sibelius's nuanced score for its sense of drama, noting that "it bears the imprint of genius"—the piece, due to the weakness of Knudsen's scenario, never established itself in the repertory and modern performances are rare.

History

Composition

Jean Sibelius (c. 1913) struggled with the Scaramouche commission, writing in 1913: "I've completely ruined things for myself by signing... My nerves are in a terrible state".

In the autumn of 1912, the Danish music publisher Wilhelm Hansen commissioned Sibelius to compose incidental music to accompany a new pantomime by the Danish playwright Poul Knudsen. Sibelius agreed to the proposal, a decision he came to regret: he mistakenly had believed Hansen would require from him a handful of dance movements; only later at the end of 1912, did Sibelius realize he was to provide an hour-long, full-length ballet-pantomime. Attempts to annul the contract or to amend it to his liking proved unsuccessful.

Further disappointment arrived when Sibelius obtained Knudsen's libretto, which he criticized as having "virtually plagiarized" the Austrian playwright Arthur Schnitzler's Der Schleier der Pierrette (The Veil of Pierrette), a pantomime in three acts for which the Hungarian composer Ernő Dohnányi had recently provided the incidental music (Op. 18, 1908–9). Sibelius's request to Hansen that Knudsen find a different scenario went unheeded. Furthermore, and uncommonly for a pantomime, the libretto contained spoken dialogue, which Sibelius feared would undermine the effect of his music. Hansen assured the composer that the dialogue was there merely to coach the actors and would be excised for the premiere—a promise that went unfulfilled. According to passages from his diary, Sibelius found it difficult to compose the new work and worried "that his international reputation was at stake":

I've completely ruined things for myself by signing the Scaramouche contract. Was in such a temper about it today that I smashed the telephone. My nerves are in a terrible state. What is left for me now? Nothing! I have allowed myself to be weighed down by one stupidity after another.

— Jean Sibelius, in a 21 June 1913 diary entry

Despite his frustration, Sibelius completed the score in late 1913, dispatching the manuscript to Hansen on 21 December with the note: "To get it right has cost me much thought and work. In the form it now takes, I believe it will be successful".

Performances

Scaramouche premiered at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen on 12 May 1922, nearly a decade after Sibelius had completed the project; he was not in attendance at the premiere. Georg Høeberg conducted the Royal Danish Orchestra, with Johannes Poulsen serving as performance director, as well as the titular character, Scaramouche. The Norwegian ballerina Lillebil Ibsen created the role of Blondelaine. The role of Leilon was created by Svend Methling, while the role of Gigolo was portrayed by "Hr. [likely Holger?] Gabrielsen". The Copenhagen critics savaged the production, faulting Knudsen's libretto as "crude[ly]" derivative of Schnitzler and the use of spoken dialogue as "totally out of place". Sibelius, however, emerged unscathed: the critics praised his incidental music for having elevated the pantomime. Tawaststjerna paraphrases the review in Berlingske Tidende:

The Danish conductor Georg Høeberg premiered Sibelius's Scaramouche in Copenhagen on 12 May 1922.

"The inspiring element of the performance, which justified the enterprise, was and remained the music." The main theme of Scaramouche is "music's suggestive power" over the human psyche. Sibelius's score is "rich in invention, of radiant fantasy and an unaffected, heart-warming lyricism. With a small orchestra... he achieves the greatest effect. A masterpiece from beginning to end".

— Music critic for Berlingske Tidende, in a 13 May 1922 review of Scaramouche

The review in Politiken was similarly complementary, describing the score as having displayed "the resourcefulness and unscrupulous power of the great Finnish master... [the music contains a] refinement almost verging on perversity... it bears the imprint of genius". Upon reaching Sibelius in Helsinki, the reviews put him in a positive mood and he recorded in his diary: "Scaramouche in Copenhagen was a great success".

Synopsis

Act I

The story takes place entirely at the House of Leilon, the master of which is holding a ball. As a minuet plays, Leilon's wife, the beautiful Blondelaine, enters the room and reproves her husband for never dancing; to emphasize her point, she dances a bolero before the assembled guests. Music coming from outside the house interrupts the festivities: Scaramouche, a hunch-backed dwarf clad in black, plays the viola, with his traveling companions (a boy in yellow with a flute and a woman in scarlet with a lute) providing accompaniment. Leilon invites the newcomers in to continue the bolero, to which Scaramouche agrees, hoping to seduce Blondelaine with his hypnotic playing. To her husband's embarrassment, as well as the amazement of the guests, Blondelaine dances with abandon to the music, which becomes quicker and more demonic in color; in her delirium, she drops the bunch of flowers that she had been holding. Jealous, Leilon expels Scaramouche and his troupe from the house. As his own musicians play a waltz, Leilon returns to Blondelaine the bouquet she had dropped and she begins to regain her composure. As Leilon and company depart for dinner, Blondelaine hears Scaramouche's viola playing; possessed, she runs outside, again dropping her bouquet. Upon returning for his wife, Leilon finds the discarded flowers and drops to his knees, sobbing.

Act II

The Royal Danish Theatre (c. 1900) in Copenhagen, Denmark, at which Sibelius's Scaramouche premiered.

The curtain rises to find a melancholy Leilon seated with Gigolo, who tells his friend that Blondelaine will never return to him—better, instead, to forget her. Gigolo borrows Leilon's dagger to open a bottle of wine and, upon leaving, places the blade on the table. To Leilon's relief, Blondelaine returns, but her disheveled state unnerves him: what might Scaramouche have done to her? His wife confesses that, hypnotized by the hunchback's playing, she has no memory of where she has been or of what has happened. Losing his temper, Leilon drives his dagger into the table, which prompts Blondelaine to assure him of her faithfulness. After a loving embrace, Leilon exits to fetch more drink, leaving Blondelaine alone. As she looks at herself in a mirror, Scaramouche returns to kidnap her, reminding her of all she had said while in his arms. Concealing her husband's dagger, Blondelaine tells Scaramouche that she will follow him willingly. As they reach the door, she stabs her tormentor to death with the knife and hides his body behind the curtains. Leilon returns in a good mood and Blondelaine, seeking to calm herself, asks him to play the piano for her. He performs the minuet from Act I while Blondelaine dances. The revelry ends when she notices Scaramouche's blood trickling out from under the curtains and hears his viola—clearly inside her head—calling her from afar. Frightened, she dances herself to death, falling lifeless next to the body of Scaramouche. The shock drives Leilon insane.

Orchestration

Scarmouche is scored for the following instruments:

• Woodwinds: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (in B♭), and 2 bassoons
• Brass: 4 horns (in F) and cornet (in B♭; used for the signaling calls in Act 2, Scene 5)
• Percussion: timpani, tambourine, and triangle
• Strings: violins, violas (including soloist), cellos (including soloist), double basses, and piano

Sibelius divides the instrumentalists spatially into three groups: first, the musicians onstage who serve as background characters in the play; second, a solo viola, supported by solo cello, offstage that provides Scaramouche's bewitching tune; and third, the orchestra proper, the role of which is to "comment" on the unfolding drama. (According to Hurwitz, the "crucial" spatial "interplay" between the groups is "lost" when recorded.) Notably for a Sibelius composition, the incidental music to Scaramouche does not employ trumpet or trombone. Barnett argues that such "modest" scoring thus permits the composer to "depict the mysterious, supernatural allure of Scaramouche with restraint... the orchestration is sensitive, with a transparency akin to chamber music." Davidson similarly describes the orchestration as "at once erotic and sensuous, light and charming".

Structure

The Danish stage actor Johannes Poulsen originated the role of Scaramouche at the 12 May 1922 premiere.

The Norwegian ballerina Lillebil Ibsen originated the role of Blondelaine at the 12 May 1922 premiere.

Scaramouche, which Sibelius referred to as a "mimic drama", is in two acts, comprising ten and eleven scenes, respectively. The piece is played without pause between acts or numbers, making it Sibelius's longest continuous score. As such, according to Rickards, it is more accurate to conceptualize the music as an "integral element of the drama" rather than "incidental" to it.

Act I

• Scene 1: Lento assai
• Scene 2: (Lento assai)
• Scene 3: (Lento assai)—Andante con moto
• Scene 4: Tempo di bolero
• Scene 5: Lento—Tempo di bolero—Lento assai
• Scene 6: Tempo di valse
• Scene 7: Poco moderato
• Scene 8: (Poco moderato)
• Scene 9: Tempo di valse
• Scene 10: Adagio—Allegro—Adagio

Act II

• Scene 1: Meno tranquillo
• Scene 2: Allegretto
• Scene 3: Andantino
• Scene 4: Allegretto
• Scene 5: (Allegretto)—Andantino
• Scene 6: Tranquillo assai
• Scene 7: (Andantino)—Meno tranquillo—Lento—Moderato—Allegro moderato
• Scene 8: Allegretto—Allegro
• Scene 9: (Allegro)
• Scene 10: Andante—Lento assai—Andantino
• Scene 11: (Grave assai)

Unlike with his other works for theatre—for example, King Christian II (Op. 27, 1898), Pelléas et Mélisande (Op. 46, 1905), Belshazzar's Feast (Op. 51, 1906–07), Swanwhite (Op. 54, 1908), and The Tempest (Op. 109, 1925–27)—Sibelius never extracted from Scaramouche a concert suite, although in 1921 he considered doing so. Nevertheless, he remained "proud" of the "ethereal, other-worldly character" of the scoring; years later, when his son-in-law Jussi Jalas sought his consent to produce a concert suite, Sibelius required Jalas to preserve the original orchestration.

Reception

Modern commentators have divided over the appropriateness of Scaramouche's relegation to obscurity. Robert Layton, for example, has written of the score's unevenness: "there are moments of genuine poetry and a wistful, gentle sadness that is both touching and charming... [this is music of] both distinction and vision"; but, he continues, much of Act II is "thin" and "there are some passages deficient in real inspiration". Hurwitz is similarly ambivalent, although he focuses on the inseparability of music from libretto: "The problem isn't that the music is bad—far from it—but that it really is so closely tied to the action onstage... In the final analysis, Sibelius was probably correct simply to leave the piece alone and forget about concert performance".

Discography

The sortable table below lists all commercially available recordings of the incidental music to Scaramouche. (The 1972 recording by Jalas with the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra is not included, because it is of the so-called twenty-minute 'Scaramouche Suite' that Jalas excerpted, with Sibelius's permission, from the complete score.)

Conductor	Orchestra	Viola solo	Cello solo	Rec.	Time	Recording venue	Label	Ref.
Neeme Järvi	Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra	Petra Vahle	Mats Levin	1990	64:57	Gothenburg Concert Hall	BIS
Leif Segerstam	Turku Philharmonic Orchestra	Bendik Goldstein	Roi Ruottinen	2014	71:01	Turku Concert Hall	Naxos

Notes, references, and sources

Notes

References

Sources

Books

• Barnett, Andrew (2007). Sibelius. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300111590.
• Hurwitz, David (2007). Sibelius: The Orchestral Works, an Owner's Manual. Pompton Plains, New Jersey: Amadeus Press. ISBN 9781574671490.
• Johnson, Harold (1959). Jean Sibelius. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. OCLC 603128.
• Layton, Robert (1965). Sibelius: The Masters Musicians Series. New York: Schirmer Books. ASIN B0000CMRUD.
• Rickards, Guy (1997). Jean Sibelius. London: Phaidon. ISBN 9780714835815.
• Tawaststjerna, Erik (1986). Sibelius: Volume 2, 1904–1914. (Robert Layton, English translation). London: Faber and Faber. ISBN 9780571247738.
• Tawaststjerna, Erik (1997). Sibelius: Volume 3, 1914–1957. (Robert Layton, English translation). London: Faber and Faber. ISBN 9780571247745.

Liner notes

• Barnett, Andrew (1991). Scaramouche, Op. 71; Wedding March ('The Language of the Birds') (booklet). Neemi Järvi & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. BIS. p. 3–7. BIS CD-502.
• Davidson, John (1974). Tempest Suites One and Two; Scaramouche (booklet). Jussi Jalas & Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra. London Records. CS 6824.
• Wells, Dominic (2015). Scaramouche: Complete Ballet (booklet). Leif Segerstam & Turku Philharmonic Orchestra. Naxos. p. 2–3. 8.573511.

Scaramouche CD reviews

Achenbach, Andrew (2015). "Sibelius: Scaramouche". gramophone.co.uk. Gramophone. Retrieved 17 September 2022.

• "elusive yet obstinately haunting 71-minute canvas is by no means devoid of beguiling grace, poetic imagination and intrigue"
• "Segerstam masterminds a characteristically unhurried, atmospheric display and proves especially adept at teasing out every drop of sinister unease and harmonic daring from the music of the duetting solo viola and solo cello associated with the hunchback Scaramouche."

Corfield Godfrey, Paul (2016). "Review: Naxos 8.573511". musicweb-international.com. MusicWeb International. Retrieved 17 September 2022.

• "the music itself is really not very good by Sibelian standards, at any rate for some rather long stretches"
• "we are denied the presence of the actors whose rather conventional drama provides the raison d’être of the score, leaving the music to stand on its own feet. One cannot help but feel that Segerstam and Naxos have missed a trick here – a version of the score with the dialogue might have been a unique selling point"
• "The weakest part of the score comes in the First Act, a half-hour series of rather pallid although tuneful dances with only the sinister playing of Scaramouche (represented by the solo viola and cello) to provide much in the way of contrast."
• "the music darkens during the brief orchestral interlude which links the Acts. ... and Sibelius achieves a real sense of desolation in the music that opens Act Two."
• "Sibelius nevertheless rather pulls his punches in the passage which leads up to the killing of her seducer by the errant wife. One can imagine that the presence of speech would lend additional weight to the action here"
• "His sense of dramatic pacing seems to give way at too many points to purely musical considerations."
• "Segerstam does Sibelius the credit of not rushing the music in an attempt to impose symphonic unity. The composer gives no metronome markings in the score, but Segerstam holds the action together in a manner that would clearly reflect a stage production. In so doing he actually lends the music greater weight and stature than Neeme Järvi at his brisker pace manages to do. Although Scaramouche is a decidedly uneven score that need not be regarded as an essential possession for listeners other than Sibelius completists"
• "As we have come to expect from this Naxos series, the orchestral playing and recording are excellent"

Hecht, Roger (March 2016). "Sibelius: Scaramouche". American Record Guide. 79 (2): 149–150.

• "The music is mostly quiet and contemplative at moderate or slow tempos, though there are moments of passion and excitement. Touches of the Third Symphony and anticipations of the Sixth and Tapióla appear here and there, and a bolero lends a hint of the Spanish."
• "Jarvi is generally faster overall, allowing his performance to move along more than Segerstam's and to produce a bit more excitement. Segerstam compensates with more eerie atmosphere. Choice becomes a matter of style preference"
• "I suspect our Editor was right when he wrote that the suite is sufficient for most people, but Carl Baumann and I agree that a true Sibelian may want the whole thing."

Bauman, Carl (January 1992). "Sibelius's Scaramouche and Wedding March by the Gothenburg Symphony under Neeme Jarvi". American Record Guide. 55 (1): 115.

• "I cannot help but be interested in hearing Sibelius's immensely atmospheric music in its entirety. Most movements are lightly and delicately scored."
• "One of the more interesting aspects of the score is the use of a leitmotif for Scaramouche himself."
• "This is not a disc for the casual collector, but it certainly will be of major importance for the dedicated Sibelian."

Clark, Edward (January 2016). "Sibelius – Scaramouche: Complete ballet Op 71". Musical Opinion. 139 (1506): 58.

• "Hands up those of you who knew Sibelius wrote a full length ballet? Well OK, not quite a ballet"
• "The music is continuous, on the lighter side of Sibelius's sound world, full of mature sonorities and offers an excellent example of non-symphonic orchestral music by the symphonic master."

Scaramouche roles

Roles	World premiere cast (13 May 1922, Copenhagen)	Finnish premiere cast (19 March 1923, Helsinki)	Norwegian premiere cast (????, Bergen)	French premiere cast (????, Paris)
Blondelaine	Lillebil Ibsen	Ruth Snellman
Leilon	Svend Methling	Jussi Snellman
Scaramouche	Johannes Poulsen	Einar Rinne
Gigolo	Holger Gabrielsen	Aarne Leppänen
Direction	Johannes Poulsen	Maggie Gripenberg
Choreography		Maggie Gripenberg
Set design	Kay Nielsen	Eero Snellman
Costumes		Matti Warén
Conductor	Georg Høeberg	Tauno Hannikainen
Orchestra	Royal Danish Orchestra	Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra

Scaramouche excerpts

Scaramouche's bewitching tune, from Act 1, Scene 5; later arranged for solo piano as Danse élégiaque

The love theme from Act II, Scene 5; beginning at marker 105 (pg. 124–125 in score); later arranged for solo piano as Scéne d'amour (Note: The theme is first hear in Scene 3 from Act II)

Scaramouche newspapers (World premiere on 13 May 1922 in Copenhagen)

Dagbladet

• Hauch, Gunnar (12 May 1922). "Sibelius og 'Scaramouche'" [Sibelius and 'Scaramouche']. Dagbladet (in Danish). No. 130. p. 3.

Henved ti Aar er der nu gaaet, siden Sibelius skrev sin Musik til "Scaramouche". Altsaa for Krigen. Den blev færdig omkring den Tid, da han i 1912 gav en Koncert her i Byen med det kongelige Kapel og spillede sin den Gang sidste Symfoni, som den Gang ikke mange forstod et Ord af. Den blev derfor modtaget med Hovedrysten hos os, i London med Hyssen, men nu er den ved af dukke op randt omkring og i Færd med at vække mere Opmærksomhed, end man tidligere havde troet. "Scaramouche" er jævnaldrende med denne Symfoni. Det er mærkeligt alene derved, af man ikke paa Forhaand havde tænkt sig, af Sibelius' Tanker kunde svæve ud i sublim Fantasi om symfonisk Eksperimenteren og samtidig tænke paa Scenes jordiske Krav. Men han var jo alle Dage en Ekstremernes Mand. Men mærkeligere endnu er det foreigt, af han i en Periode, hvor hans Musik fjerner sig stærkt fra Jordelivets Realiteter og søger Fred paa et fjeral, havombrust Ithaka, hvorfra han kan slaa sin Tonebro til Verden. Sorgen og Kvalen, just da skriver ikke blot sit største, men endog sin forste egeatlige dramatiske Komposition. Sibelius har jo opnaaet, i forholdsvis faa Aar endda, at blive verdensberomt, uden at have haft Scenen til Foram. Det er sjældent. Men kan han altsaa paa ingen Maade kaldes Dramatiker, har han dog skrevet Teatermusik, og et enkelt Nummer fra denne hans Virksomhed "ved Siden af" har bragt hans Navn videst om Lande: "Valse triste".

About ten years have now passed since Sibelius wrote his music for "Scaramouche". So for the war. It was completed around the time when, in 1912, he gave a concert here in the city with the Royal Chapel and played his last symphony, of which not many understood a word at the time. It was therefore received with a shake of the head by us, in London with Hyssen, but now it keeps popping up all around and is in the process of attracting more attention than was previously thought. "Scaramouche" is the same age as this Symphony. It is strange in that alone, that one would not have thought beforehand that Sibelius's thoughts could soar into sublime fantasy about the symphonic experimenter and at the same time think about the earthly demands of the stage. But he was a man of extremes every day.

• • For that reason alone it is strange that no one had considered his thoughts could soar up into sublime fanticizing about symphonic experiments while at the same time thinking about earthly requirements. But he was constantly a man of extremes.

But even more strangely, it is done by him in a period when his music distances itself strongly from the realities of earthly life and seeks peace on a feathery, sea-broken Ithaca, from where he can build his tonal bridge to the world. Sorrow and Anguish, just then writes not only his greatest, but even his first epic dramatic composition. After all, Sibelius has achieved, even in a relatively few years, to become world famous, without ever having had the stage for Forum.

• • After all, in a relatively few years, Siberlius has managed to become world famous without ever having had the stage as a forum.

It is rare. But he can therefore in no way be called a dramatist, he has written theater music, and a single number from this company of his "on the side" has brought his name far and wide: "Valse triste".

Det vil af disse Eksempler paa Sibelius' Teater Musik ses, af de Emner, som har fristet ham til musikalsk Behandling, er saadanne, som rummer Fantasi og Mystik. Sibelius staar den moderne Retning, som bunder i Natualisme, overordentlig fjernt; skal man rubrieere hans Stil maa det karakteriserende Ord nærmest blive Ekspressionisme eller Symbolisme. Naar han na har skrevet en hel Pantomime (eller et "mimsk Drama" som det kaldes paa Programmet) til ea Tekst af den danske Forfatter Hr. Poul Knudsen, har hans Incitament sikkert været denne Teksts Stemning af ekspressionistisk Mystik. Men naar Pantomimen forst naar frem nu saa forholdsvis mange Aar efter dens Fødsel, skyldes det Tekstens praktiske Vanskelighedr, som baade her og i Udlandet har været en haardere Nod, end selv de snedigste Teaterspecialister hidtil har kunnet knække. Max Reinhardt maatte give tabt; en Tid gjorde Hr. Johannes Poulsen det ogsaa, men nu har han altsaa alligevel lost Knuden--eller maaske hugget den over. Knuden bestaar i, at Pantomimen ikke skulde være bare mimisk, men at dens Virkning, særlig paa Højdepunkterne, skulde understottes af Talerepliker. Selve Handlingen dreger sig om den skonne Lycinde, der tilbedes af sin fine, overkultiverede Mand Leilon, men som samtidig vækker en Atmosfære om sig af Betagelse, hvor hun end staar og gaar og danser. Hendes Lidenskab er Dansen; i Dansen lever hendes Dromme og skjulte Længsler; der er i hendes og Leilons Hus altid Fester, altid Skonhed, altid Dans. Men en saadan Aften, da hun vil danse for sine Gæster og Musikanterne spiller op til en Bolero, blander der sig lidt efter lidt mystiske Toner i Musiken; ude fra Haven lyder Klangen af en Violin, der klinger med dæmonisk Magt. Det er Scaramouche, en fremmed Musikant, lille og pukkelrygget. Han bydes ind, og han betages af Lycindes Skonhed; og da han spiller op til Dans, beruses hun selv vildere end nogen Sinde og en uhyggelig Magt undergiver hende Dværgens Indflydelse. Hun flygter fra Hjemmet, Gæsterne, ud i Haven og Skoven efter den fremmede, og da hun (i 2. Akt) vender tilbage til den sorgmodige Leilon, er hendes Sind bjergtaget. Endnu en Gang kalder Scaramouche paa hende; hun vil ikke folge ham, men foler dog, at hans Magt er storre end hendes Modstand; saa dræber hun ham og skjuler hans Lig bag et Drapperi. Leilon, der tror at have genvundet hende, spiller en gammel Melodi og Lycinde vil danse--igen for ham alene, som i gamle Dage. Men medens hun danser, lyder igen Klangen af Scaramouches Violin; hallucineret tror hun at høre ham og se ham; hendes Dans bliver vild og vanvittig, og hun danser sig til Dode foran Gøglerens Lig.

It will be seen from these examples of Sibelius's theater music that the subjects that have tempted him to musical treatment are those that contain fantasy and mystery. Sibelius stands extremely far from the modern direction, which is based on Natualism; if one were to categorize his style, the characterizing word would almost have to be Expressionism or Symbolism. When he has now written an entire pantomime (or a "mime drama" as it is called on the programme) to a text by the Danish author Mr. Poul Knudsen, his incentive must have been this text's mood of expressionistic mysticism. But when the pantomime is now coming forward relatively many years after its birth, it is due to the practical difficulties of the text, which both here and abroad have been a harder nut than even the most cunning theater specialists have been able to crack so far. Max Reinhardt had to lose; for a time Mr. Johannes Poulsen, too, but now he has loosened the knot anyway - or perhaps cut it off. The knot consists in the fact that the pantomime should not be just mime, but that its effect, especially at the high points, should be supported by spoken lines. The action itself revolves around the beautiful Lycinde, who is adored by her fine, over-cultivated husband Leilon, but who at the same time evokes an atmosphere of fascination around her wherever she stands and walks and dances. Her Passion is Dancing; her dreams and hidden longings live in the dance; in her and Leilon's house there are always parties, always beauty, always dancing. But on such an evening, when she wants to dance for her guests and the musicians play up to a bolero, little by little mysterious notes blend into the music; from outside the garden sounds the sound of a violin that rings with demonic power. It is Scaramouche, a foreign Musician, small and hunchbacked. He is invited in, and he is captivated by Lycinde's beauty; and when he plays up to the dance, she herself gets drunker than ever before, and an uncanny power submits her to the dwarf's influence. She flees from the home, the guests, into the garden and the forest after the stranger, and when she (in Act 2) returns to the sorrowful Leilon, her mind is taken. Once more Scaramouche calls to her; she does not want to follow him, but nevertheless feels that his power is greater than her resistance; then she kills him and hides his body behind a hanging. Leilon, who thinks he has won her back, plays an old tune and Lycinde wants to dance--again for him alone, like in the old days. But while she dances, the sound of Scaramouche's Violin sounds again; hallucinating, she thinks she hears him and sees him; her dance becomes wild and insane, and she dances herself to death in front of the Jester's corpse.

Tid og Sted i denne Handling er ubestemt; alt er stiliseret og fri Fantasi. At dømme om dens Virkning paa Scenen, er paa Forhaand meget vanskelig; Emnet er beslægtet med Schnitzlers "Pierettes Slør", men Milieuet et her mere abstrakt. Nogen finere Poesi synes Teksten ikke at have og de Repliker, der findes i Klaverudtoget (der foreligger med tysk og engelsk Tekst) er efte af en forbløffende Banalitet, men Sibelius' Musik og Johannes Poulsens Regie kan jo gøre meget. I hvert Fald er det en musikalsk Begivenhed, at Det kgl. Teater første store dramatiske Arbejde af Jean Sibelius.

The time and place of this action are undetermined; everything is stylized and free imagination. To judge of its effect on the stage is very difficult in advance; The subject is related to Schnitzler's "Pierette's Veil", but the milieu here is more abstract. The text does not seem to have any finer poetry, and the replicas found in the piano excerpt (available with German and English text) are of astonishing banality, but Sibelius's music and Johannes Poulsen's direction can do a lot. In any case, it is a musical event that the Royal Theater first major dramatic work by Jean Sibelius.

• This translation is fine.}}

Dagens Nyheder–Kallundborg

• H. F. (13 May 1922). "'Scaramonche' blev en stor Sukces" ['Scaramouche' was a great success]. Dagens Nyheder–Kallundborg (in Danish). p. 5.

@Ipigott: Ready for you here on these few green highlights. Thanks! ~ Silence of Järvenpää 00:52, 17 September 2022 (UTC)

You'll see I've made a few suggestions. The other translations seem fine to me as they are. Let me know if there's anything you really think I need to look at again.--Ipigott (talk) 08:58, 17 September 2022 (UTC)

Efter en Periode, hvor Skuespilkunsten synes at have sat sig det Maal at komme saa langt bort som muligt fra alt, hvad der i gammeldags Forstand er Teater, begynder den nu at vende tilbage dertil. Det er, som om den sceniske Kunst en Tid har skammet sig over sin Oprindelse og derfor har villet bortkaste alle sine ældste Virkemidler: Farverne, Lyset, Musiken, alt det, der gjorde den til en Fest og til en Glæde for Masserne. Men det er ogsaa, som om den nu er ved at gaa i sig selv igen--maaske fordi den omsider er naaet saa højt i Udvikling, at den har Raad til at være sin Fortid bekendt og pege tilbage med en og anden Forestilling og sige: "Se, saadan var jeg en Gang! Hele min Bestemmelse var fra første Færd ganske simpelt at fryde Menneskenes Øjne og Øren og at sætte deres Sind i Bevægelse et Par Timer". "Scaramouche", som Det kgl. Teater i Aftes opførte for første Gang, er et Drama, der hører til denne Retning, som peger tilbage, og som er tilstræbt naiv og usammensat. Det er blevet til paa en ejendommelig Maade. Dets Forfatter, Hr. Poul Knudsen, var, da han for nogle Aar siden skrev det, et ungt Menneske, der lige var Blevet Student, og som, da han stod overfor Valget af sit fortsatte Studium, svingede mellem Juraen og Litteraturen. Han læste ivrigt Maeterlinck, og han skrev i sin Fritid nogle Films. "Scaramouche" er blevet til under disse to Sysler, og det bærer tydelige Spor af det. Fra Forfatterens Haand er det en lille Pantomime, eller om man vil en Filmstekst, hvori han har brugt den gamle spanske Komediefigur Scaramouche til Hovedperson. Det originaleste ved Manuskriptet er, at han har ladet Personerne bryde ud i Tale eller i Skrig, naar Situationens Spænding var blevet saa stærk, at de mimiske Udtryk ikke længere var i Stand til at lose den. Det hele er en kunstbegejstret ung Mands taagede Drøm, et famlende Forsøg, som er blevet til under Paavirkningen af de store Digterværker, han har læst, og af en brædende Lyst til at komme i Berøring med Teatret.

After a period when the art of acting seems to have set itself the goal of getting as far away as possible from everything that is theater in the old-fashioned sense, it is now beginning to return there. It is as if scenic art has for a time been ashamed of its origins and therefore wanted to throw away all its oldest means of action: the colors, the light, the music, everything that made it a party and a joy for the masses. But it is also as if it is now going into itself again--perhaps because it has finally reached such a high level of development that it can afford to be familiar with its past and point back with the occasional performance and say : "Look, that's how I was once! From the beginning, my whole purpose was quite simply to please people's eyes and ears and to set their minds in motion for a few hours". "Scaramouche", which Royal Teater i Aftes, performed for the first time, is a drama that belongs to this direction, which points back, and which is aimed at being naive and uncomposed. It has come about in a peculiar way. Its author, Mr. Poul Knudsen, when he wrote it a few years ago, was a young person who had just become a student and who, when faced with the choice of continuing his studies, wavered between law and literature. He eagerly read Maeterlinck, and he wrote some films in his spare time. "Scaramouche" was created during these two pursuits, and it bears clear traces of it. From the author's hand, it is a small pantomime, or if you like a film script, in which he has used the old Spanish comedy character Scaramouche as the main character. The most original thing about the script is that he has let the characters break out in speech or in screams, when the tension of the situation had become so strong that the mimic expressions were no longer able to release it. The whole thing is the hazy dream of an art-enthusiastic young man, a groping attempt, which has come about under the influence of the great works of poets he has read, and of a burning desire to come into contact with the theatre.

Men saa har tre modne og bevidste Kunstnere paataget sig at virkeliggore denne blodløse Drøm: En Musiker, Jean Sibelius, en Skuespiller, Johannes Poulsen, og en Maler, Kay Nielsen. Og i Aftes udfoldede Drømmen sig paa Scenen og blev til et skønt Digterværk, den mest poetiske og den værdifuldeste nye Forestilling, som denne ellers saa fattige Sæson har bragt. Da det sædvanlige Tæppe hævede sig, afdækkede det et Forhæng, som sammen med Forspillet straks førte os tilbage til det Sted og den Tid, hvor vi skulde være, medens vi blev underholdt med Dramaet. Stedet var Fantasiens Land, og Tiden naarsomhelst, og for Resten var det et Fjællebodstæppe, over hvilket der med store, klodsede Bogstaver vat skrevet "Scaramouche", og hvorpaa man saa et Billede af en Dæmon, der med sin Violins Tryllemagt lokkede en Kvinde til sig. Forhænget gik op for en Festsal, der var stiliseret og lige saa naiv som det første Billede, og i den dansede den svage og forfinede, unge Rigmand Leilons Gæster, smukke Damer og elegante Kavalerer i kostbare Dragter. Scarmouches Hjemland var af Kay Nielsen antydet i Kostumernes spanske Linier og Farver. Den smukkeste af alle var den skønhedselskende Leilons Hustru, Blondelaine (der i en tidligere Udg. af Dramaet hed Lycinte); og hun dansede en Bolero for at more sin Mand og hans Venner, en Bolero, der blev afbrudt ved, at Scaramouche brød ind i Salen og standsede Festen. Scaramouche er en Landevegens Fyrste, halvt Gøgler og halvt Røver, noget af et Geni, der spreder Lykke omkring sig, og noget af en Forbryder, der vækker Rædsel.

But then three mature and conscious artists undertook to realize this bloodless dream: A musician, Jean Sibelius, an actor, Johannes Poulsen, and a painter, Kay Nielsen.

• • But three mature and purposeful artists have now comitted themselves to realizing this bloodless dream:

And last night the dream unfolded on stage and became a beautiful work of poetry, the most poetic and the most valuable new performance that this otherwise poor season has brought. When the usual curtain rose, it revealed a curtain which, together with the Prelude, immediately led us back to the place and time where we were to be while we were entertained with the Drama. The place was the land of fantasy, and the time whenever, and for the rest it was a Fjällebod carpet, over which was written "Scaramouche" in large, clumsy letters, and on which you could see a picture of a demon luring a woman with the magic power of his violin themselves. The curtain went up on a ballroom that was stylized and as naive as the first picture, and in it danced the guests of the weak and refined young rich man Leilon, beautiful ladies and elegant knights in expensive suits. Scarmouche's homeland was hinted at by Kay Nielsen in the Spanish Lines and Colors of the Costumes. The most beautiful of all was the beauty-loving Leilon's wife, Blondelaine (who in an earlier edition of the Drama was called Lycinte); and she danced a Bolero to amuse her husband and his friends, a Bolero which was interrupted by Scaramouche breaking into the hall and stopping the party. Scaramouche is a prince of the highway, half jester and half robber, something of a genius who spreads happiness around him, and something of a criminal who inspires terror.

Saa fulgte Dramaet, som i store og grove Træk skildrede Blondelaines Utroskab, hendes Anger, hendes Magtløshed, naar Gøgleren kaldte med sine lokkende Violintoner, hendes Mands og hendes egen Fortvivlelse, Bandittens raa Vildskab, og til sidst det Mord, hvormed hun befrier sig for hans Magt over hendes Sanser, og Dansen, hvori hun døver sine Samvittighedskvaler og danser sig ihjel. Det virkede betagende. Intet blev parodisk, hvad der kunde være Fare for--heller ikke de indflettede Repliker, skønt de manglede det Dybsind og den Lyrik, de burde have haft. Da Leilon en Gang traf den rigtige Tone, idet han sagde: "Mit Hjerte, det lever kun for dig!" forspildte han straks Indtrykket ved at gentage Ordene i den prosaiske Omskrivning: "Mit Hjerte, det banker kun for dig!" Men Ordene betød saa lidt i dette Drama, hvor Følelserne var det eneste vigtige, at de ikke kunde skade det. Hr. Svend Methling var som Leilon nøjagtig den Type, han skulde være, Elskeren og Sværmeren, Aandsaristorkraten og Svæklingen. Fru Lillebil Ibsen bar som Blondelaine lige bedaarende i sit naturlige stummer Spil og i sin udtryksfulde og gratiøse Dans. Hendes Mimik var ledt spæd; men til Gengæld var der Lidenskab og Styrke i hendes Stemme, og hendes norske Akcent gav Ordene yderligere Kraft. Hr. Johannes Poulsen, der havde gjort et dramatiske Mesterstykke med sin Iscenesættelse, skabte af Scaramouches Rolle en pragtfuld Skikkelse. Stor og forfærdende skred han ind i Salen, saa umiddelbare Tilskuere virkelig maa kunne blive som Børn igen og skræmmes, ligesom naar en gyselig Røverhistorie bliver fortalt godt. Han var smykket med Grøftekanternes brogede Blømster, og over sine pjaltede Klæder bar han en Kappe af mange Lag graat og brunt Slør og Tyll, saa han stod som indhyllet i Landevegenes Støvskyer; og Ansigtet var et Landsknægt-Fjæs og Stemmen hæs af det Rakkerliv, han havde ført. Det var en Figur, der kun viste sig i et Par korte Optrin, men som dannede den uhyggelige Baggrund for hele Dramaet, og som var direkte inspireret af Sibelius' geniale Musik. Balletten gjorde udmærket Fyldest i Ensemble-Dansene. Bifaldet lød helt begejstret, og Fru Lillebil Ibsen fik to stormende Fremkaldelser.

Then followed the drama, which depicted in broad and rough strokes Blondelaine's infidelity, her remorse, her powerlessness when the jester called with his enticing violin notes, her husband's and her own despair, the bandit's raw savagery, and finally the murder with which she frees herself from his power over her senses, and the dance in which she numbs her pangs of conscience and dances herself to death. It seemed breathtaking. Nothing became parody, which could be danger of--not even the interwoven lines, although they lacked the depth and lyricism they should have had.

• • It had a breathtaking effect. No signs of parody, despite the potential danger - not even the interwoven responses,...

When Leilon once hit the right note, saying, "My heart, it lives only for you!" he immediately lost the impression by repeating the words in the prosaic paraphrase: "My heart, it beats only for you!" But the words mattered so little in this drama, where the feelings were the only important thing, that they could not harm it. As Leilon, Svend Methling was exactly the type he was supposed to be, the lover and the swagger, the spirit aristocrat and the weakling. Mrs. Lillebil Ibsen was equally captivating as Blondelaine in her naturally mute Play and in her expressive and graceful Dance. Her Mimic was very young; but in return there was passion and strength in her voice, and her Norwegian accent gave the words additional power. Sir Johannes Poulsen, who had made a dramatic masterpiece with his staging, created a splendid figure from the role of Scaramouche. Large and terrifying, he strode into the hall, so immediate spectators must really be able to become like children again and be frightened, just as when a horrifying robbery story is told well. He was adorned with the variegated flowers of the ditch edges, and over his ragged clothes he wore a cloak of many layers of gray and brown veil and tulle, so that he stood as if enveloped in the dust clouds of the country roads; and the face was a countryman's face and the voice was hoarse from the rakker life he had led. It was a figure who only appeared in a couple of short acts, but who formed the eerie background for the entire drama, and who was directly inspired by Sibelius's brilliant music. The ballet did very well Fullest in the Ensemble Dances. The applause sounded completely enthusiastic, and Mrs Lillebil Ibsen received two stormy calls.

Nationaltidende

• r–h (13 May 1922). "Sibelius' Musik til 'Scaramouche'" [Sibelius's Music for 'Scaramouche']. Nationaltidende (in Danish). No. 16, 609. p. 6.

Om Sibelius' Musik til Poul Knudsens "Scaramouche" kan næsten fortælles en Fabel, Mage til den, som gives i Pantomimen selv. Sibelius har været Dæmonen Scaramouche, der lokkede Poesien langt bort fra den blege, unge Digter ud i den dybe Nat og indblæste den sit eget Væsen, den vilde Sang, Mystiken af Pan i de Mørke Skove. Og da den derpaa vendte tilbage til sit Teater, var der intet, som var Digterens mere, men alt var Sibelius'. Saaledes er den lille bohème-sentimentale Novelle ved Sibelius' Kunst blevet omformet, forstørret og forskønnet; og den er kommet til at danne Grundlaget for et ejendommeligt og betydeligt Værk i den berømte Komponists Produktion. Det vidunderlige skete virkelig: Sibelius vandt en stor Sejr som Dramatiker. Efter forlængst at have indtaget Verdens Koncertsale erobrede han i Gaar Scenen. At det skete paa Det kgl. Teater er for os herhjemme dobbelt morsomt.

About Sibelius' Music for Poul Knudsen's "Scaramouche" a Fable can almost be told, similar to the one given in the Pantomime itself. Sibelius has been the demon Scaramouche, who lured poetry far away from the pale, young poet into the deep night and breathed into it his own essence, the wild song, the mystery of Pan in the Dark Woods. And when it then returned to its theatre, there was nothing that was the poet's anymore, but everything was Sibelius's. Thus the little bohemian-sentimental novella has been reshaped, enlarged and beautified by Sibelius's art; and it has come to form the basis of a peculiar and considerable work in the production of the famous composer. The wonderful thing really happened: Sibelius won a great victory as a dramatist. After having occupied the Concert Halls of the World for a long time, he conquered the Stage yesterday. That it happened on the Theater is doubly funny for us here at home.

• • Sibelius' Music for Poul Knudsen's "Scaramouche" could almost be seen as a fable, similar to that behind the pantomine itself. Sibelius becomes the demon Scaramouche, luring poetry far away from the meek young poet into the depths of night and breathing into his own being, the wild song, the mystique of Pan in the dark woods. And when it gets back to its theatre, there's nothing left of the poet as everything is Sibelius's... After taking control of the world's concert halls quite some time ago, yesterday he conquered the stage. That it should have happened at the Royal Theatre is particularly funny for us here in Denmark.

Sibelius har skrevet sin Musik for Teaterorkester, ikke for den store Opera- eller Symfonibesætning. Antallet af Instrumenter, han benytter, er saaledes ikke stort, men desto større den Kunst, hvormed de begrænsede Midler er udnyttet. Hans Partitur virker som en Farveradering med raffinerede, men sublime Valører og mesterlig Tegning. Selve Billedets Stemning er saa fyldt af Styrke og fantastisk Gru, at det er vanskeligt at finde ret mange dramatiske Billeder, der mere umiddelbart og forførende griber den beskuende Tilhører. Stilen i "Scaramouche"-Musiken er helt Sibelius' egen. Det er netop det forfriskende, at der her intet er af de musikdramatiske Rekvisiter, som den moderne Teatermusiklitteratur overfyldes af; Sibelius har ikke omskabt sig efter Scenen, men har skabet et Teaterbillede ud af sig selv. Maaske Spiren til en helt ny dramatisk Musikretning--selv om Replikerne i dette Tilfælde næsten kunde have været undværet. Første Akt er væsentlig forberedende, men da Scaramouche begynder at spille paa sin Gige, daarer han ikke blot Blondelaine, men griber ogsaa Tilhøreren med en Magt, som ikke slippes, før Tæppet sluttelig falder.

Sibelius wrote his Music for Theater Orchestra, not for the large Opera or Symphony orchestra. The number of instruments he uses is thus not great, but the art with which the limited means are utilized is all the greater. His score seems like a color etching with refined but sublime values ​​and masterful drawing. The mood of the picture itself is so full of strength and fantastic horror that it is difficult to find many dramatic pictures that more immediately and seductively grab the beholder. The style of the "Scaramouche" music is entirely Sibelius' own. It is precisely the refreshing thing that here there are none of the musical-dramatic props that modern theater music literature overflows with; Sibelius has not transformed himself after the Stage, but has created a Theater Image out of himself. Perhaps the germ of a completely new dramatic musical direction--although the replicas in this case could almost have been dispensed with. The first act is essentially preparatory, but when Scaramouche begins to play his gig, he not only fools Blondelaine, but also seizes the audience with a power that is not released until the curtain finally falls.

• • Translation of Hans Partitur seems fine.

I Scaramouches Strofer, hvorefter Blondelaine danser, ligger der ikke nogen egentlig betagende Melodi, men en Rytme og en disharmonisk Vellyst, so mer stærkt suggererende. Det samme gælder Mellemspillet i Skoven, der oprindelig kun er tænkt som symfonisk Intermezzo i Orkestret; men i anden Akt spirer der frem en Musik, som er underfuld og uforglemmelig. Leilons Sorg over Lykken, han mistede, og siden has smertefyldte Møde igen med Blondelaine. Det er Melodier, der har faaet deres Farver og Toner af alle Høstens Blade; det er Rytmer som Mindernes Dødedans i en smertefyldt Erindring. Scenen ved Spinettet med de to, som søger at vugge vilde Tanker i Ro ved den gamle Melodi, ejer en sjælfuld Inderlighed, som i nyere Teater-Komposition er enestaaende; og siden Spændingen, den store Patos, den grufulde Slutning---alt dette er skrevet af et Geni. Som Intrumentation betragtet er hele Partituret et Mesterværk. Træblæseren kunde chattere i henriven de afstemte Grupper, eller en enkelt Fløjte kunde nynne en stille Melodi til Strygernes sagteste Hvisken (som i Begyndelsen af 2. Akt), og Violinerne kunde suse som Vinden i dæmonisk Uhygge eller svulme i sødmefyldt Syngen, som f. Eks. i et bredt gennemført Afsnit i Ges-Dvr i anden Akt.--Og det maa indrømmes, at dette dlt andet end lette Partitur fik en beundringsværdig Gengivelse af det kgl. Kapel under Kapelmester Gerog Høeberg. Klangen var skøn og Tempoerne som Helhed gode og virkningsfulde. Flere Steder i 2. Akt kunde dog maaske nok have vundet ved et Tempo, der var en Nuance hurtigere. Sibelius' Musik til "Scaramouche" blev Sæsonens Begivenhed blandt de musikalske Nyheder paa Det kgl. Teater.

In Scaramouche's stanzas, after which Blondelaine dances, there is no really breathtaking melody, but a rhythm and a discordant voluptuousness, so strongly suggestive. The same applies to the Interlude in the Forest, which was originally intended only as a symphonic Intermezzo in the Orchestra; but in the second act a music emerges which is wonderful and unforgettable. Leilon's grief over the happiness he lost, and then the painful meeting again with Blondelaine. These are melodies that have gotten their colors and tones from all the autumn leaves; they are rhythms like the death dance of memories in a painful memory. The scene at the spinet with the two, who seek to lull wild thoughts in peace to the old melody, has a soulful fervor that is unique in recent theater composition; and since the Suspense, the great Pathos, the gruesome End---all this is written by a Genius. As instrumentation, the whole score is a masterpiece. The woodwind could chatter in ecstasy to the attuned groups, or a single flute could hum a quiet melody to the softest whisper of the strings (as in the beginning of Act 2), and the violins could rush like the wind in demonic eeriness or swell in sweet singing, such as Ex. in a broadly executed section in Ges-Dvr in the second act.--And it must be admitted that this part of the other than light score received an admirable rendering of that kgl. Chapel under Kapellmeister Gerog Høeberg. The sound was beautiful and the tempos as a whole good and effective. However, several places in the 2nd act could probably have won at a tempo that was a shade faster. Sibelius' music for "Scaramouche" was the event of the season among the musical news on the Royal Theater.

• • All the green passages in this section seem fine.

Berlingske Tidende

• Sensivi (13 May 1922). "Johannes Poulsen fortæller om 'Scaramouche'" [Johannes Poulsen talks about 'Scaramouche']. Berlingske Politiske og Avertissements Tidende (in Danish). No. 130. p. 3.

Scaramouche udskiller sig nemlig fra andre mimiske Dramaer ved, at der tales, i det. Endelig gaar Døren op og Johannes Poulsen træder ind med vajende Fjer i Hatten og gyldne Kæder om Halsen. Hvad er et mimisk Drama i hvilket der tales? spørger jeg. Det kan bedst forklares saaledes, svarer Johannes Poulsen. Medens man herhjemme gerne holder paa det bestaaende og engang vedtagne, forsøger man i Udlandet stadig at finde nye Veje for Skuespilkunsten og det er det, v i nu vil forsøge med "Scaramouche". Naar Mimiken glipper erstattes den med Ord, naar Ordet glipper erstattes det med Musik og Dans, det er med andre Ord et Forsøg paa at samle alle tre Kunstarter i eet. Teaterkunsten trænger til Fornyelse, men Fornyelsen kan kun komme gennem Eksperimenter, og nu maa vi altsaa se, om dette Eksperiment lykkes. "Scaramouche" bliver fremført i den gamle Maskekomedie-Form, og vi kaster Realismen over Bord. Forestiller Scenen en Stue er det ingen Stue, der er kun tre Kulisser paa hver Side, der vender Kanten ind mod Scenen, der er to Stole, et Bord og et Spinet, og alt hvad der hedder Potteplanter of Spejle, Billeder osv. er malet paa Kulisserne. Ligesaa naar Scenen forestiller en Skov, der er malede Kulisser, ganske ligesom paa Pantomimeteatret i Tivoli, der repræsenterer den sidste Rest a f den gamle Maske-komedie. Det bliver altsaa Skuespillerne, der skal skabe hele Virkningen, alt er overladt til dem. Men kan de yde den gode Kunst, tvinger de Tilskuerne til selv at arbejde med, til at sætte deres Fantasi i Bevægelse, thi af den ydre Ramme faar de ingen Hjælp. Det er et ganske glimrende System og selv Reinhardt er ved at komme bort fra den overdrevne Realisme i Sceneriet. Denne kuliminerede vist dengang han til Opførelsen af Romeo og Julie paa Deutsches Teater-lod Scenen brolægge med Marmorfliser for at man skulde høre Kaarderne klirre. Sibelius har skrevet en aldeles pragtfuld Musik till "Scaramouche", og Teksten skrev Poul Knudsen for Aar tilbage, da han kun var en 18-19 Aar. "Scaramouche" handler om en vis Art Musik's forfærdelige Magt over svage og letbevægelige Sjæle. Scaramouche er en vandrende Musikant, der med sin vilde og ejendommelige Musik betager en ung Kvinde i en saadan Grad, at hun forlader sin Mand, en lidt veg, degenereret Yngling, for at blive hans. Men da den første vilde Rus har lagt sig, fortryder hun bittert, hvad hun har gjort, og vender tilbage til sin Mand. Som alle Ægtemænd og virkelige Elskere lyver han for sig selv og søger at dække over hende. Ja, Slutningen er meget dramatisk, mere kan jeg ikke sige. Fru Lillebil Ibsen spiller den unge Kvinde, Blonelaine, Methling Ægtemanden og jeg selv den vandrende Musikant Scaramouche.

Scaramouche stands out from other mimetic dramas in that there is speaking in it. Finally, the door opens and Johannes Poulsen enters with a fluttering feather in his hat and golden chains around his neck. What is a Mimic Drama in which there is speaking? I ask. It can best be explained this way, answers Johannes Poulsen. While here at home people like to stick to the existing and once accepted, abroad they are still trying to find new ways for the art of acting and that is what we will now try with "Scaramouche". When mimicry fails, it is replaced with words, when words fail, it is replaced with music and dance, in other words, it is an attempt to gather all three art forms into one. Theater art needs Renewal, but Renewal can only come through Experiments, and now we must see if this Experiment succeeds. "Scaramouche" is performed in the old masked comedy form, and we throw realism overboard. If you imagine the stage to be a living room, it is no living room, there are only three backdrops on each side, facing the edge towards the stage, there are two chairs, a table and a spinet, and everything from potted plants to mirrors, pictures, etc. is painted on the sets. Just as when the scene represents a forest, there are painted backdrops, just like at the Pantomime Theater in Tivoli, which represents the last remnant of the old masked comedy. It will therefore be the actors who must create the entire effect, everything is left to them. But if they can provide good art, they force the audience to work with them themselves, to set their imaginations in motion, because they get no help from the external framework. It is quite an excellent system and even Reinhardt is getting away from the exaggerated realism in the Scenery. This probably culminated when, for the performance of Romeo and Juliet at the Deutsches Teater, he had the stage paved with marble tiles so that you could hear the clinking of the cards. Sibelius has written an absolutely magnificent piece of music for "Scaramouche", and Poul Knudsen wrote the text years ago, when he was only 18-19 years old. "Scaramouche" is about the terrible power of a certain type of music over weak and easily moved souls. Scaramouche is a wandering musician who, with his wild and peculiar music, captivates a young woman to such an extent that she leaves her husband, a somewhat weak, degenerate youth, to become his. But when the first wild rush has subsided, she bitterly regrets what she has done and returns to her husband. Like all husbands and true lovers, he lies to himself and tries to cover her up. Yes, The ending is very dramatic, that's all I can say. Mrs Lillebil Ibsen plays the young woman, Blonelaine, Methling the husband and myself the wandering musician Scaramouche.

• • This is OK except for "... when words fail, they are replaced..."

Social-Demokraten

• gw. (13 May 1922). "Det kgl. Teater" [The Royal Theatre]. Social-Demokraten (in Danish). No. 131. p. 5.

Mimic Drama in 2 Acts and an Interlude. Text by Poul Knudsen, Music by Jean Sibelius. Staging by Johannes Poulsen. The dances of Mrs Lillebil Ibsen and Emilie Walbom. The mimetic Drama that Johannes Poulsen had staged last night for Det kgl. Theatre, is full of mystery and symbolism, and the whole picture is presented in a highly stylized frame. In Act 1, for which a Scaramouche-l'éppe composed for the occasion in a variegated tapestry pattern goes up, in a decoratively equipped ballroom with a view of a moonlit night sky. The dance is interrupted by a troupe of jesters in picturesque rags who enter, led by the hunchbacked, red-haired, hideous Scaramouche, and play for the beautiful Lyointe, who loves the dance and her husband equally. He enchants Lycinte with his violin playing, which incites her dancing to the brink of madness, and when the troupe is shown out, she follows, taken aback. In the short interlude, you see her throwing herself into the arms of Scaramouche, who with his magical instrument drags her out into the moonlit forest. In Act 2, she returns to her anguished waiting husband, heartbroken after the adventure. Scaramouche doesn't let her go though, but when he appears again, she kills the Monster to be released from the Enchantment and hides the Corpse. His Power, however, is not broken with Death. Best as Lycinte seeks oblivion at her husband's breast, she hears the violin that urges her to dance. The dance grows wilder until she sinks to Earth with a broken heart.

The symbolism in the little drama is not easy to grasp. Perhaps it hides the truth about the woman who loves her man, but is nevertheless drawn by the erotic adventure, which is often sensual, brutal and hideous and leads to an undisguised enchantment, as incomprehensible to herself as to everyone else. The performance of such a piece of symbolic poetry is very difficult, because the slightest mistake will let the illusion shatter like broken glass. But it went quite lucky last night. The music, the dance and the text--for every now and then speech was used to support the mime performance--were part of an effective whole.

Ordene i de Optrædendes Mund frembragte en ejendommelig Uhyggestemning paa Baggrund af Sibelius' Musik, der skildrede denne Stemning i stærke Farver. Denne Musik er fuld af sære Enkeltheder, af Klarinetters Skalmeje-Klange, af Boleroens Danse-Rytmer, men ogsaa af sin Skabers kendte store Melodiositet. Helt herligt sang Violinerne et ofte gentaget og varieret Tema i Begyndelsen af 2. Akt, hvor Manden venter paa Lycinte--i det hørtes gennem hver Tone Komponisten til "Valse triste"--og pragtfuldt musikalsk illustreret var ogsaa en senere Scene ved Flygelet, hvor Lycinte hviler sit trætte Hoved ved sin Mands Skulder. Maaske undrede man sig lidt over, at Scaramouches magiske Violinspil ikke fandt nogen stærkere Understregen, og ogsaa Dødsdansmusiken til Slut virkede ikke ved nogen særlig Vildskab. Men Sibelius har uomtvisteligt her atter skabt et Musikværk, der befæster hans Navn som Nordens originaleste og fantasifuldeste Komponist.

The words in the mouths of the performers produced a peculiar eerie atmosphere against the background of Sibelius's music, which depicted this atmosphere in strong colours. This music is full of strange details, of the clarinet's mellow sound, of the dance rhythms of the bolero, but also of its creator's well-known great melodiousness. Absolutely gloriously, the violins sang an often repeated and varied theme at the beginning of the 2nd act, where the man is waiting for Lycinte--in it the composer could be heard through every note to "Valse triste"--and a later scene at the grand piano was also beautifully illustrated musically, where Lycinte rests her weary head on her husband's shoulder. Perhaps one was a little surprised that Scaramouche's magical violin playing did not find a stronger emphasis, and also the dance of death music at the end did not seem particularly wild. But Sibelius has indisputably here again created a piece of music that cements his name as the Nordic region's most original and imaginative composer.

As Lycinte, the Theatre's Norwegian Guest Lillebil Ibsen had a victorious evening. She showed herself to be the consummate artist in her miming as well as in the dance. Her pale face, in sharp contrast to the black hair and the black costume, expressed with a wealth of nuances the alternating emotions from ecstasy to horror, and she danced with a very rare grace over all movements. One noticed a rather peculiar way in which she had to turn about herself to express giddiness. Her execution of this part is something of a masterpiece, and it will certainly not be a thankless task for Ms. Brock-Nielsen to replace her at the Drama's next performance. Johannes Poulsen naturally got a characteristic figure out of Scaramouche, which he equipped with all his imagination, and Svend Methling quite beautifully gave the grief of the tormented husband his deep emotionality. The little drama made a strong impression on the whole and will surely be a success for the Royal Theatre, which in recent times has been so little used to success. Mrs. Lillebil Ibsen was applauded a few times.

• • Fine too.--Ipigott (talk) 08:51, 12 September 2022 (UTC)

Scaramouche newspapers (Finnish premiere on 19 March 1923 in Helsinki)

Helsingin Sanomat

• Katila, Evert (20 March 1923). "Jean Sibelius: Scaramouche". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). No. 77. p. 8.

Uusi Suometar

• L. I:nen. (20 March 1923). "'Scaramouche' ja 'Hirsipuumies' Kansallisteatterissa" ['Scaramouche' and 'The Lumberjack' at the National Theater]. Uusi Suometar (in Finnish). No. 65. p. 1, 8.

Iltalehti

• T. H. (20 March 1923). "Suomen Kansallisteatteri: Sibeliuksen Scaramouche" [Finnish National Theatre: Sibelius's Scaramouche]. Iltalehti (in Finnish). No. 66. p. 3.

Hufvudstadsbladet

• H j. L. (20 March 1923). "Kansallisteatteri: Runar Schildt: Hirsipuumies—Sibelius: Scaramouche" [National Theatre: Runar Schildt: The Lumberjack—Sibelius: Scaramouche]. Hufvudstadsbladet (in Swedish). No. 77. p. 9.

Svenska Pressen

• N. L–ou. (20 March 1923). "Runar Schildt och Jean Sibelius på Finska teatern" [Runar Schildt and Jean Sibelius at the Finnish Theater]. Svenska Pressen (in Swedish). No. 66. p. 2–3.