Ivar Hallström (1826−1901)
Hin ondes snaror. Sagospel med tal och sång i Prolog och Tre akter [(approx.) The snares/nooses of the evil one. Fairy play with speech and song in Prologue and Three acts]

- Year of composition: Likely 1890-1900
- Work category: Operetta / Comic opera
- Text author: Henrik Christiernsson [Christiernson] (1845-1915)
- Dedication: (Dedication on the bound piano reduction: To Allan from Uncle Ivar, on the piano-vocal score in loose sheets: Allan Hallström Manuscript from Uncle Ivar)
- First performed: 7 March 1900, Stora Teatern, Gothenburg (the work was performed a total of 6 times during the period 7-12 March according to "Stora Teatern i Göteborg 1893 - 1929. Några blad ur dess historia utgivna av Axel Fromell" [Stora Teatern in Gothenburg 1893 – 1929. Some pages from its history published by Axel Fromell], A. Lindgren & Söners Boktryckeri, Göteborg, 1929).
According to "Tidningen Kalmar N:o 39 Måndagen den 12 Mars 1900" [the daily newspaper Kalmar, No. 39, Monday 12 March, 1900] the alto Blenda Nilsson debuted at the premiere of "Hin ondes snaror" (see also the entry on Hallström's "Aristoteles" [Aristotle]).
On the same occasion, "Mssrs. Bergström*/ and Schülcker" [sic] also participated in the performance (*/ likely refers to the baritone Oscar Bergström in the role of Halifax and the tenor Birger Schücker as Hugo).
The conductor was ’Mr. Hj. Meissner’ [referring to Hjalmar Meissner (1865-1940)]. Hallström had however ’led and overseen the rehearsals himself’ and was also present at the premiere).
According to Svensk Musiktidning no. 7, 1900: ’Marfa: Miss Blenda Nilsson, debut; Pepi, Maurikka: Mmes Emma Meissner, Wahlbom [sic]; Hugo, Halifax, Vlad, Alexi: Mssrs. Schücker, Bergström, Carlander, G. A. Lund’; Carlander is likely identical to the baritone Carl Carlander and G. A. Lund likely refers to the tenor Gustav [Gustaf] Adolf Lund. Mrs. Wahlbom could be Anna Wahlbom, who was a member of, among others, Castegrens sällskap [Castegren’s troupe] and was furthermore an actress (and prompter). [Castegren most likely refers to Victor Castegren (1861-1914), the at the time manager of the Stora Teatern]
- Duration: Approx. 90-120 min
- Detailed duration: Playing time uncertain
Instrumentation
3*.2.2.2 / 4.2. [övriga stämmor saknas]
(picc)
org is also named in the libretto (Act II, Scene 1)
Solo voices/choir
Hugo, ung riddare [a young knight] (tenor)
Marfa (mezzo-soprano/alto)
Alexi, lekbroder och kryddgårdsvaktare i klostret [lay brother and warden of the spice garden] (tenor)
Halifax (baritone)
Pepi, bondblicka [peasant girl] (soprano)
Vlad, Hugos sven [Hugo's esquiry] (baritone)
Maurikka, gammal nunna (an old nun; likely a speaking role)
En borgfogde (a castellan, likely a speaking role)
Hugos Svenner och Tjenare, Studenter, Noviser, Folk af båda könen [Hugo's Esquiries and Servants, Students, Novices. People of both genders]
1 soprano (Pepi), 1 mezzo-soprano/alto (Marfa), 2 tenors (Hugo, Alexi), 2 baritones (Halifax, Vlad); 1 female and 1 male spoken role
Choir: (female choir, male choir, mixed choir; the parts are not specified in the autograph)
- Location autograph: Musik- och teaterbiblioteket
- Possible call no. and autograph comment: Ivar Hallströms archive / Z/Sv (handwritten libretto [autograph], bound piano reduction without vocal parts and a piano-vocal score in loose sheets, Marfa's section [Act I] and orchestra parts); a handwritten piano reduction is also extant in Hallström's 'Pianoverk. Samlingsvolym' [Piano works. Collection volume].
Description of work
[No.] 1. Inledning [Introduction]: Moderato F minor 4/4 (C)
Prologue
A small, dilapidated room in an old castle.
Scene 1: The stage is dark. Sound of hammer blows. Buzzing voices. Bats and rats. A choir of the Castle servants can be heard offstage. Hugo enters, dragging the trembling Castellan. There is a violent noice from the heating stove and an object from the stove falls down on the floor. All run out. (Hugo, Slottsfogden, Slottets tjenare [Hugo, the Castellan, the Castle Servants])
Scene 2: Tab(lå) [Tableau]. Hugo is laughing. The Castellan is drinking. Hugo pushes the Castellan out of the room. Hugo, Fogden [Hugo, the Castellan]
Scene 3: [No. 2] Hugo (alone). After having walked about in the room, he halts in front of the portrait of his ancestral father, raises a beaker and throws its content into the fire. There is a bang, the portrait disappears and in its place, a satanic figure appears. The figure points at the sledgehammer on the floor. Hugo takes the sledgehammer and strikes three strokes on the stove, which crumbles. The figure disappears and a beautiful girl (Marfa) can be seen sitting in the rubbles, holding a golden box. Smiling, the girl hands Hugo the box. He kneels. There is an elusive laughter from the picture. The vision disappears. Hugo rises while the curtain is rapidly falling. Hugo (Marfa)
Act I
Första tablån [First tableau]
A narrow, half cave-like rift in the forest. A shed. Between stones there is a deep hole.
Scene 1: [No. 3] The choir can be heard from the underground. Having quickly appeared from the hole, Halifax is sitting on the ground. Marfa enters. Underjordisk Kör [a Choir underground], Halifax, Marfa
Scene 2: Marfa becomes visible in the hole. Halifax is sitting on a stone, holding a letter. Spotting Halifax, Marfa snatches the letter from him. [No. 4] On reading the letter, Marfa presents a talisman and Halifax hides it. There is a sound from hunting horns. Hugo briefly appears in the mountain gap, which closes as Marfa makes a sign to Halifax. They hurry off the stage, laughing. Halifax, Marfa (Hugo)
Andra tablån [Second tableu]
A mountainous open spot in the forest, with a waterfall.
Scene 1: Hugo (in hunting attire) is standing on a cliff, holding a bow. He looks around, searchingly. [No. 5] Hugo
Scene 2: Hugo and Vlad are talking. There is a distant song. Hugo, Vlad
Scen 3: Marfa, dressed as a wandering minstrel, carrying a klädd som vandrande sångare med zither on her back. Alexi is carrying a bottle. Halifax in jester costume has a key harp. Alexi is in the middle, while Marfa and Halifax change places. [No. 6] Now Marfa is in the middle. Alexi kisses Halifax, wants to embrace Marfa. She laughs. Alexi embraces Halifax and forces him to drink from his bottle. [No. 7] After much hesitation, Halifax takes a sip. The wine makes Halifax hiss like cat, and tries to scratch Alexi. He is unsure and angry. Marfa looks at Hugo, wants to kiss his costume, but he stops her. She goes over to Halifax. She listens. Hugo (hidden), Marfa, Alexi, Halifax
Scene 4: Marfa (talking to Halifax while looking triumphantly after Hugo). She takes Halifax’s hand. They leave, arm in arm, dancing and singing. Marfa, Alexi, Halifax
Act II
A garden in the convent. There is an apple tree and bushes in bloom. Spring mood.
Scene 1: An organ is heard as the curtain rises, also singing. Halifax is sitting in a tree, still in jester costume. [No. 8] Pepi and a number of young girls, all in novice habit. Spotting Halifax, they burst out laughing. Halifax hides. [No. 9] Halifax speaks, slowly and with irony. Pepi listens. Halifax laughs. [No. 10] There is a dissonant chord from Halifax’s instrument. The girls are dancing with each other, but on spotting Marfa on the other side of the garden wall, they scream and run away. Halifax, Pepi, Noviser [Novices]
Scene 2: Marfa (dressed as a minstrel) jumps down unto the stage. Having cautiously climbed down, Halifax walks about on the stage. Marfa is pondering. [No. 11] Halifax listens (to Marfa). Halifax, Marfa (dressed as a minstrel)
Scene 3: Two nuns come carrying a long box. Maurikka pulls out a rope with a hook from the opening in the wall, secures the hook on the box. She rings a bell and the box is pulled out. The nuns leave. Maurikka (Two nuns)
Scene 4: Alexi kisses Maurikka’s hand. Halifax peeks out. Maurikka opens a cellar hatch and enters along with Alexi. Halifax makes a sign ang the hatch closes. He turns the key. A horn is heard outside. He makes a sign with the talisman. There is a gate in the wall, with the door opening towards the forest. Marfa is sitting on the bench under the tree, with a breviary on her knee. She is dressed in white, with her blond hair spread out over her shoulders. Maurikka, Alexi, Halifax
Scene 5: Hugo enters through the gate, which closes behind him. He looks around in astonishment. [No. 12] He spots Marfa, who pretends to be reading in the manuscript. She gets up, pretending to see Hugo, who watches her, entranced. Marfa pretends being surprised. Maurikka and Alexi are seen at the window bars. Hugo opens the gate, which has been conjured in the wall. He kneels. Marfa pretends to be elated. Hugo embraces and kisses her. At the kiss she transforms and Hugo leads her out through the gate, which then disappears. Marfa, Hugo
Scene 6: Alexi and Maurikka in the cellar. Halifax (in Alexis’s appearance) peeks out of a bush. He listens. He holds the talisman towards the hatch. At a sign from the talisman, the hatch opens and the bell starts chiming. There is a wine barrel by the apple tree. [No. 13] Halifax raises the talisman. Students, one after the other, fall down the hatch. All gather around the barrel. They drink. Halifax takes one youth under each arm. Violent turmoil. Alexi, Maurikka, Halifax, Students
Scene 7: Alexi violently pounds the hatch, as does Maurikka. A couple of students go towards the cellar. The first student turns the key and opens the hatch. Maurikka and Alexi comes out. All scream as they alternatively look at Alexi and Halifax (mimicking her) and they notice each other. The bell is chiming. Pepi and the Novices appear from the backdrop. The above, Maurikka, Alexi (Pepi, Novices)
Scene 8: The students are dizzy. Maurikka holds up the cross and Alexi puts her fingers on it. Halifax looks around for an escape. He speaks to Maurikka, unctuously and with irony. The choir attack Halifax. As he raises the talisman, a flame bursts out towards them. They flinch, kneel and cross themselves. Halifax climbs a flying device. As he flaps the talisman, the whole apple tree bursts out in flames. The wall crumbles and Halifax flies out. People shout and run around. Some crawl out through the hatch, others are lying on the ground. All the novices run out, in the same direction as Halifax. The above, Pepi, Novices
Act III
(First tableau)
A hall in the castle. Old style.
Scene 1: Marfa, dressed in a gloriously shining dress, her arms and neck adorned with jewels. She listens. [No. 14] She approaches Hugo’s door, but stops, pensive. She becomes decisive, leaves in haste, but meets Halifax. Marfa.
Scene 2: Halifax (in jester costume) talks to Marfa. Marfa points at Hugo’s door. Halifax takes out a bottle. Marfa looks at Hugo’s door in jealousy. Halifax hastily leaves. Marfa, Halifax
Scene 3: [No. 15] Hugo enters in haste, stops in surprise, and then embraces Marfa, removing her veil. Their lips meet in a long kiss. Hugo points at the image of the Madonna. Hugo holds Marfa’s hand. She embraces her. They part. Marfa is anguished, Hugo sad. He wants to embrace her, but stops, looks at her tenderly and mournfully, and hastens out. Marfa, Hugo
Andra tablån [Second tableau]
The same decor as in the previous tableau.
Scene 1: Marfa (in the same dress as before) enters, pensive, and looks around. [No. 16] She points at the image of the Madonna, and kneels. Simultaneously, there is a disharmonic sound, like a door being broken up. Halifax, dressed as a gypsy, enters. Marfa, Halifax
Scene 2: Halifax points at his costume. He spots the image of the Madonna, dreamingly contemplated by Marfa, and cringes with a grimace. He points at the door, and approaches it. Distressed, Marfa looks at the Madonna. Lingering, she walks towards the door. Halifax has already disappeared. At the door she stops, moves instead in haste to the Madonna and throws all her jewellery into the stoup. She leaves in haste. Marfa, Halifax
Change of scenery
A forest outside the castle. There is a smithy with bellows, a coal fire, and all gadgets. All are gathered on the stage and two farmers are in the process of heating up iron bars in the fire.
Scene 1: [No. 17] The peasant girls bring a wine pitcher and beaker. The beaker is passed around. Vlad puts it on the floor and raises the sledge. Pepi is exasperated. The two hot iron bars are presented. Vlad and Halifax put the bars on the anvil and begin to beat. Pepi changes the pitcher. Vlad and Halifax stop the beating. The bars are put back into the fire. Halifax drinks from the pitcher. He is frightened. The iron bars are presented once more. Grumpy, Halifax touches the iron with his fingers. All cry out. He empties the pitcher and stops the beating while Vlad contiues. Marfa sings. Halifax is now asleep. His long tail and claws are visible. Jubilant, Vlad shows the finished horseshoe. He spots Halifax. Marfa suggests that they pin him to the ground. Vlad does so. Shaking, Halifax drops the talisman. Marfa takes it up. Halifax wakes up, now in the same satanic costume as when he first appeared. He tries to move forward, but is hindered by the tail having been pinned down. Pepi, Vlad, Halifax, Marfa, Peasants
Scene 2: Halifax runs in a circle, with the tail being the radius. All laugh in his face. Spotting Hugo, Marfa hides. Succeeding in taking her hand, Halifax draws her into his sphere. She drops her glorious costume and is now dressed in the tattered gypsy dress from Act I. She tears herself loose, is jubilant. Halifax sinks into the abyss with a thunder sound. Flames. The stage is now bright again. Teared off, the tail remains at the pin. Marfa kneels beside Hugo. Alexi takes the pin with the tail which Vlad has pulled out of the ground. Holding the beaker with the money, Vlad embraces Pepi. Marfa throws herself into Hugo’s arms. The above, Hugo, Alexi
Libretto/text
[No,] 2. Ballad. Melodram [Melodrama]. Cavatina: Du underlige gamle der [sic] ...
1. Och riddaren satt med bägarn i hand
2. Och riddaren qvad till den onde på
3. Han blef rik, han blef stor (Hugo)
[No,] 3. Introduktion och Kör. Melodram. Visa [Introduction and Chorus. Melodrama. Song]: Halifax! Halifax! Gif akt! /.../ Goddag igen! Ett tack för längesen, Du gamla jord! /.../ Tag fatt! Tag fatt! (Kör [under jorden] [Choir (underground)], Halifax, Marfa)
[No,] 4. Duo [Duet]: Den unge junkern af Lucifer fått Guld uti mängd /.../ Det der var junkern ... Och hon är Marfa ... (Marfa, Halifax)
[No,] 5. Recit. och Aria [Recitataive and Aria]: Om än hon kommer, att väcka min harm (Hugo)
[No,] 6. Terzett [Trio]: Vi äro ett muntert folk, vi tre! (Marfa, Alexi, Halifax)
[No,] 7. Qvartett [Quartet]: Hvem är du, säg? /.../ En fattig sångarsven ni ser i mig /.../ Säg, har din zittra sådan makt? /.../ Den kan långt mera /.../ Tag blott en klunk (Hugo, Marfa, Alexi, Halifax)
[No,] 8. Inledning. Recit. och Kupletter [Introduction, Recitative, and Cuplés]: Jag hönsen kackla hör derinnanför /.../ 1. En liten gulfink satt engång /.../ 2. I verldens allra första dag (Halifax)
[No,] 9. Kupletter [Cuplés]: 1. Liten flicka, täck och söt /.../ 2. Kom en gosse i hennes väg (Halifax)
[No,] 10. Kör. Scen. Kupletter och Kör [Chorus. Scene. Cuplés and Chorus]: Semper vivans in æternum /.../ Pecca ... pecca ... /.../ Hahaha! /.../ Hahahahahahahaha! /.../ Ty för hi och för hej, under skämt och sång (Noviser [Novices], Pepi, Halifax)
[No,] 11. Arioso: Ren i skapelsens gryning unga /.../ Under yta af himmelsk fägring (Marfa, Halifax)
[No,] 12. Duo [Duet]: Är detta en dröm ... någon tjusande hägring? /.../ Gud det är hon! Mitt klappande hjerta, var stilla! /.../ Allt skall du glömma, som förr var dig kärt /.../ Ett under oss båda Förde tillsamman (Hugo, Marfa)
[No,] 13. Final [Finale]: Passa på! Kommen strax hit ner! /.../ Alexi! / Ja, enhvar af er mig känner! /.../ 1. Fratres et sorores /.../ Bibamus! Slå sorgen ihjäl! /.../ 2. Andra glaset sedan - /.../ 3. Kryddan på kalaset - Bim bam, tulululululu! (Halifax, Studenter [Students])
[No,] 14. Scen [Scene]: Skall jag gå in? I djup och bitter smärta (Marfa)
[No,] 15. Duo [Duet]: Han kommer! Ljufvaste ros på min stig /.../ Vi följas i lifvet, vi enas i döden, Vår känsla ej släckes (Marfa, Hugo)
[No,] 16. Melodram och Cavatina [Melodrama and Cavatina]: Nu åter här .. I borgen irrar jag (Marfa)
[No,] 17. Final [Finale]: Här äro vi nu! Hur skall det gå? /.../ Vi bjuda er först, att läska er tunga /.../ Det är bra! Slå i, små flickor unga! /.../ Böj dig nu strax Under hammarslag /.../ 1. Hos bonden den lede gästa' /.../ Och sen var det slut med hans makt! 2. Fram stack nu en hästhof ur skorna /.../ Tog pengarne sen och försvann! /.../ Fram stucko de gömda klorna, Och ful såg han ut, minsann! Hahahaha! /.../ Nu lifvet ler mot oss i solskensglans! Och jag till klostret för hin håles svans. (Pepi, Halifax, Vlad, Marfa, Hugo, Alexi, En bonde [A farmer], Landtfolk [Peasants])