Die drei Pintos (The Three Pintos) is a comic opera by Carl Maria von Weber with a libretto by Theodore Hell. Weber began composing the score in 1820 and worked at it off and on until 1824, but it remained incomplete at his death. In the late 19th century, the composer's grandson gave the surviving sketches to Gustav Mahler, an admirer of Weber, who combined them with other music to create a complete opera which was premiered at the Neues Stadttheater, Leipzig on 20 January 1888. Richard Strauss admired the work, but appears to have changed his opinion after his mentor Hans von Bülow panned it; like Bülow, the influential critic Eduard Hanslick was also critical of the work. The title comes from the protagonist, Don Pinto, who is impersonated by two other characters in the course of the opera. The Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. ... Carl Maria von Weber Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst, Freiherr von Weber (November 18, 1786 in Eutin, Holstein – June 5, 1826 in London, England) was a German composer, conductor, pianist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school. ... A libretto is the complete body of words used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, sacred or secular oratorio and cantata, musical, and ballet. ... This article cites its sources but does not provide page references. ... [] (Sorbian/Lusatian: Lipsk) is the largest city in the Federal State (Bundesland) of Saxony in Germany. ... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1888 (MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the German composer of tone-poems and operas. ... Hans von Bülow. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Although rarely produced nowadays, the "Intermezzo", composed entirely by Mahler based on melodies by Weber, hints at the flute calls (echoed by other wind instruments such as the oboe and bassoon) in the slow section of the first movement of Mahler's Symphony no. 1.

There are a couple of complete recordings of the opera. The 1976 premiere studio recording on RCA is under the direction of Gary Bertini, who conducts the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and a stellar cast that includes Werner Hollweg, Hermann Prey and Lucia Popp, while the recent Naxos live recording from the Wexford Festival is under the direction of Paolo Arrivabeni. Gary Bertini (1928 - 18 March 2005) was an Israeli conductor and musician. ... The Munich Philharmonic Orchestra is one of three great orchestras in the city of Munich, along with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Bavarian State Opera orchestra. ... Hermann Prey (July 11, 1929 – July 22, 1998) was a German bass-baritone. ... Lucia Popp (Lucia Poppova) (November 12, 1939–November 16, 1993) was a popular operatic soprano from Slovakia. ... Theatre Royal during the opera festival The Wexford Festival Opera is an opera festival that takes place in the town of Wexford in South-Eastern Ireland. ...

Source

• Viking Opera Guide ed. Holden (1994)