Ali Pascha by Janina (Lortzing)
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Ali Pasha from Janina |
| Shape: | Singspiel |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Albert Lortzing |
| Libretto : | Albert Lortzing |
| Premiere: | February 1, 1828 |
| Place of premiere: | Munster (Westphalia) |
| Playing time: | about an hour |
| Place and time of the action: | Albania around 1820 |
| people | |
Ali Pascha by Janina or Die Franzosen in Albanien is a singspiel in one act by Albert Lortzing , who - as almost always - was also his own librettist here. The premiere took place on February 1, 1828 in Münster .
Emergence
In 1823 the twenty-two year old Albert Lortzing made the decision to write works for the stage. For his first work he chose an oriental subject because it was very fashionable at the time. Soon after his marriage - he married the actress Rosina Regine Ahles on January 30 of the following year - the Singspiel was finished. But it would be another four years before he found a stage that dared to perform the work.
In the autumn of 1826 the young couple found an engagement at the Detmold court theater . This also had the task of playing in the theaters in Münster and Osnabrück. In Münster the work went on for the first time on February 1, 1828 at the local theater and brought its creator a respectable success, which encouraged him to continue writing works for the theater in the future. Ali Pascha by Janina can be seen as a preliminary stage to Lortzing's later full-length operas.
action
Introduction, place and time
The work takes place around 1820 in Janina (today: Ioannina ), which at that time was a province of the Ottoman Empire (the Eyālet-i Yānyâ ). The title character Ali Pascha Tepelena is a historical person of Albanian origin, originally the leader of a gang of thieves who ruled large parts of Thessaly , Epirus and Albania (the so-called Paschaliks of Trikala and Janina) from Ioannina .
Only act
In Janina, where his battalion is currently stationed, the French naval captain Bernier fell head over heels in love with a beautiful girl named Arianna from the nearby island of Corfu. But because he has not heard any signs of life from her for days, he is worried that something might have happened to her. Bernier's friend Robert tries in vain to comfort him.
The captain's concern for his mistress is only too justified. When Arianna was walking on Corfu's beach, she was ambushed by a wild horde and taken to the notorious Ali Pasha's harem. The latter cannot bear her wailing and complaining and orders her to quickly forget the man of her heart; because she now belongs to him alone. The other harem ladies are also unwilling to give Arianna hope. On the contrary: they advise her to submit to her fate and to follow the will of the master. This is the only way to best endure all suffering.
Meanwhile, Bernier got wind of what happened to his lover. Under a pretext he seeks Ali Pasha in his palace. At first the ruler is pleased to be able to welcome a French guest; after all, French men are known for understanding a lot about women. The Pasha wants to show him his new acquisition right away, so that he should turn green with envy.
When the two lovers see each other, it is difficult for them to suppress their true feelings. After all, they don't want to give the impression that they know each other. But as soon as the Pasha leaves them alone for a few minutes, they confess their love. The despot overheard the couple from a safe hiding place. His face is flushed with anger. He swears terrible vengeance on them. Immediately he has the Frenchman who has become annoying to him in chains.
Robert manages to penetrate the harem with the French battalion. The young couple is freed in a bold coup. They all reach their ship safely and set off for France.
Web links
literature
- Ali Pasha by Janina, or: The French in Albania. In: Georg Richard Kruse : Albert Lortzing (= Famous Musicians. Life and Character Pictures with an Introduction to the Works of the Masters. Volume VII). Harmonie, Berlin 1899 ( online in the Internet Archive ).