Opern-Typen: opera meets the comics

Opern-Tÿpen consists of six volumes of chromolithographic plates depicting scenes from 54 operas popular in 19th century Germany; all six volumes are freely available for viewing and download. Each opera plot has been distilled into a mere six frames, with liberally adapted accompanying text. The visual charms of Opern-Tÿpen are evident. The plates reveal a sophisticated understanding of the effective use of line, gesture, and composition to convey drama and comedy in a tight narrative sequence. Future research may determine if these drawings captured or were informed by real-life performances, as is suggested by the inclusion of staging and scenic elements.

The images were created by Gustav Kölle, a painter and illustrator active in Germany in the latter part of the 19th century. The texts are credited to several adapters, including the Berlin-based music publishers Hermann Erler, Adolf Fürstner, and Bartholf Senff.

Bookplates identifying Christian Rub (1886-1956) as a previous owner of Stanford's set provide a Hollywood connection. Rub, born in Passau, Germany, made his way to America in the early years of the 20th century, and established himself as a character actor, appearing in numerous films including Heidi, Swiss Family Robinson, You Can’t Take It With You, One Hundred Men and a Girl, and All This, and Heaven Too. He is best remembered as the voice of and inspiration for the animated figure Gepetto in Disney’s Pinocchio.

And speaking of Hollywood, animators have mined opera plots and characters for comic gold, notably, Disney's 1949 release, The Whale Who Wanted to Sing Opera, and Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon, Whats Opera, Doc? which played on the helmet-and-horns cliché of Wagnerian opera. What's Opera, Doc? was a pinnacle in the development of animation and went on to be the first cartoon selected for the Library of Congress National Film Registry. More recently, The Simpsons released an episode, The Homer of Seville, guest starring Plácido Domingo, in which Homer Simpson suffers an injury and suddenly gains an operatic voice. A bit of dialogue:

Plácido Domingo: You know, Homer, there is one thing about opera that has always bugged me: everyone sings instead of talking. But you made me believe I was in a magical world where singing *is* talking.

Homer Simpson: Thanks! You know, of the Three Tenors, you're my second favorite. No, wait, I forgot about that other guy. Sorry, you're third.

Scroll down to view a sampling of frames from Opern-Tÿpen:

This article is one in a series highlighting rare music materials in the Stanford Libraries collections. Originally published January 2016, revised and expanded September 2024.