Tokfursten/The King of Fools

Carl Unander-Scharin

The Swedish opera The King of Fools by Carl Unander-Scharin, based on an autobiographical book by the psychologist Elgard Jonsson describing his own recovery from schizofrenia, has now been released in the form of a double-cd box. The production, which is one of the Vadstena Academy’s most succesful, is a harrowing depiction filled with intensly dramatic scenes. The performances of the singers, especially, have been highly acclaimed by critics and reviews have poured in from New York, London, Berlin and Milan as well as from all over Sweden. The production was given its world premiere in Vadstena in July 1996. The work was commissioned by the Vadstena Academy with financial support from the Swedish Concert Institute.

In a preface to the book Elgard Jonsson himself writes, “I have written this book because I want to promote a better understanding of what is evidently an enigmatic illness. I want to show that it is possible to come out of the dark and into reality. It is my fond hope that young persons whose sickness has just broken out will be spared the intolerable years that I had to go through and instead will have the possibility of recovering their rightful place among people”.

The conductor of this captivating performance is Michael Bartosch, The musicians in this recording include Tanja Kaitaniemi, solo violin, Johan Morén violin, Petter Axelsson viola, Thomas Blanch cello, Jenny Rydberg double bass, Linda Arvidsson flute, alto flute, Gunnar Månberg oboe, Petter Hartman bassoon, double bassoon, Tora Thorslund trumpet, Jonas Larsson trombone, Kerstin Frödin recorder, Eric Skarby synthesizer and Pelle Jacobsson percussion.

The cast includes singers Mats Persson baritone, as the King of Fools, Anna Larsson, Carolina Bengtsdotter-Ljung, Clara Bystrand, John Erik Eleby. Göran Eliasson, Karin Frölén, Thomas Svensson, Salka Rosengren and Lisa Gustavsson. Producer and conception, Nils Spangenberg.

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Show playlist
    • CD 1
      • Akt I
        • 1.
          Ouvertyr
          1'37
        • 2.
          Scen 1. Framme
          2'32
        • 3.
          Scen 2. Harsprångsfrukost
          0'57
        • 4.
          Scen 3a. Beatlesduetten
          2'41
        • 5.
          Scen 3b. Hos Napoleon
          2'54
        • 6.
          Scen 3c. Eldfågeln
          1'24
        • 7.
          Scen 4. Dagrummet
          1'28
        • 8.
          Blomsterarian
          0'59
        • 9.
          Spindelvisan
          1'14
        • 10.
          Rälsvalsen
          3'24
        • 11.
          Scen 5. Åter hos svarte Generalen
          1'25
        • 12.
          Hibernalkören
          4'01
        • 13.
          Drogaria
          3'00
        • 14.
          Scen 6. Pengar
          4'08
        • 15.
          Scen 7. Håniolmöte
          1'41
        • 16.
          Napoleons aria
          1'39
        • 17.
          Scen 8. Arbetsterapi
          3'21
        • 18.
          Scen 9. Gud Faders entré
          5'29
        • 19.
          Scen 10. Harsprångsfrukost
          0'57
    • CD 2
      • Akt II
        • 1.
          Scen 1. Smärtfågeln
          6'08
        • 2.
          Scen 2. Ronden. Första mötet (Metaduett)
          7'39
        • 3.
          Scen 3. Tjyv-Elins arioso
          2'43
        • 4.
          Andra mötet (Metaduett)
          5'38
        • 5.
          Scen 4. Harsprångsfrukost
          1'26
        • 6.
          Konstnären Psyks arioso
          1'09
        • 7.
          Scen 5. Omvändalåt
          4'21
        • 8.
          Empataria
          3'18
        • 9.
          Scen 6. Fönstren slår igen
          5'18
        • 10.
          Scen 7. Gud Moders förbannade...
          8'47
        • 11.
          Scen 8. Larm
          1'32
        • 12.
          Ge marken till barnen
          3'02
        • 13.
          Scen 9. Epilog
          1'32
  • Total playtime 97'02

Compact Disc // CAP 22046 // Opera // Releasedate: 1 January, 1999