Casanova (Benatzky)

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Work data
Title: Casanova
Shape: Revue operetta
Original language: German
Music: Ralph Benatzky, "using the music of Johann Strauss "
Libretto : Rudolph Schanzer and Ernst Welisch
Literary source: Johann Strauss operetta " Cagliostro in Vienna "
Premiere: September 1, 1928
Place of premiere: Berlin
people
  • Casanova
  • Barberina
  • Laura
  • Lieutenant von Hohenfels
  • Menuzzi, a bravo
  • Count Waldenstein
  • Costa, servant of Casanova
  • Trude, maid
  • Count Dohna
  • Helene, his wife
  • The stage manager
  • Momolo, a player
  • Dolores
  • Ignacia
  • Perez
  • abbess
  • Voltaire
  • Pleschke, sergeant
  • von Knobelsdorff, cadet
  • von Wedepohl, cadet
  • Tito, Matteo, Rinaldo, Bravi
  • Barberina ballet corps, theater audience
  • Players, game holders and servants in the game room
  • Nuns, musicians, bullfighters, bandelleros, stilt walkers, people and passers-by
  • Cadets, jockeys, shepherdesses, Potsdam Court Society ( choir , ballet and extras)

Casanova is a revue operetta in two acts (seven pictures) by Ralph Benatzky . The libretto was written by Rudolph Schanzer and Ernst Welisch. The music is based almost exclusively on the operetta Cagliostro in Vienna by Johann Strauss (son) , which was re-arranged here by Benatzky.

It premiered on September 1, 1928 in the Great Theater in Berlin . Here worked u. a. Michael Bohnen , Anny Ahlers , Anni Frind , Fritz Blankenhorn , Hermann Picha , Paul Morgan , Siegfried Arno , Trude Lieske , Wilhelm Bendow , Julia Serda , La Jana and Margarete Kupfer .

The director of the theater, Erik Charell , who had previously only brought revues in his house, landed a great success with the plot and set operetta. With Paul Morgan, Siegfried Arno and Wilhelm Bendow, the "Casanova" cast also had a powerful comedian team. The “Jackson Boys” and twelve “Sunshine Girls” from London had been hired for revues, and the music was spiced up with jazzy rhythms. But there were also “classic” ballet numbers with a pointed dance. Among other things, two waltzes by Johann Strauss were incorporated. These are the waltz Aeols Töne , Opus 68 and the Blindekuh waltz from the operetta Blinde Kuh . Benatzky processed these pieces in the choir of nuns and Laura's singing .

The Comedian Harmonists start their careers here as entertainers. The photo is labeled with the operetta "Kasanova" Berlin Großes Schauspielhaus. Bulgarian Archives State Agency

The comedian harmonists became famous with the revue. They had just signed the contract last month and immediately received their pioneering name from director Erik Charell. They appeared from the beginning until the end of February 1929 in the interim acts as street musicians from various European nations. It was the first time that the vocal quintet went public with its piano accompaniment.

orchestra

Strings, two flutes, an oboe, two clarinets, a bassoon, two horns, two trumpets, two trombones, two timpani, a percussion, a harp, a celesta, an organ, a mandolin

Stage sets

First act: Image 1: Venice, in front of the Barberina's palace; Image 2: Games room in the Theatro San Samuele in Venice; Photo 3: Tarragona in Spain; Image 4: Vienna Opera Redoute

Second act: Photo 5: On the terrace of Sanssouci , Potsdam ; Image 6: Dux Castle in Bohemia; Photo 7: Venice

  • Leading actor Michael Bohnen with his wife Mary Lewis, 1929.

  • The fascinating Anny Ahlers.

  • La Jana, “the most graceful dancer in Germany”, shows a lot of skin next to Michael Bohnen.

  • The Great Playhouse on Friedrichstrasse, before 1933.

action

Episodes from the exciting life of the legendary charmer Giacomo Casanova are told in seven pictures .

The story of his love for the dancer Barberina leads the theatergoers in colorful pictures from Venice via Saragossa and Vienna to Berlin. After Casanova broke the hearts of many pretty ladies, he eventually retired to the Dux Castle in Bohemia in old age .

literature

  • Friedrich Wilhelm Lehmann: Berlin Kaleidoscope 1910–30. Moos, Berlin and Heidelberg 1962, p. 94.
  • Wolfgang Jansen: Splendid revues of the twenties. Edition Hentrich, Berlin (GDR) 1987, p. 167.
  • Hans-Michael Bock, Wiebke Annkatrin Mosel and Ingrunwalk (eds.): Die Tobis 1928–1945. An annotated filmography. Edition Text + Criticism, München 2003.
  • Kevin Clarke (Ed.): Glitter and be Gay. The authentic operetta and its gay admirers. Hamburg 2007, p. 121 ff.
  • Fritz Hennenberg : Ralph Benatzky: Operetta on the way to a musical - life report and catalog raisonné . Edition Steinbauer, Vienna 2009, ISBN 978-3-902494-38-2 , p. 80.
  • Karin Ploog: ... When the notes learned to run ... Volume 2: Cabaret-Operetta-Revue-Film-Exile Popular music until 1945. Norderstedt 2015, ISBN 978-3-7347-5316-9 , page 294.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Monika Fink, Walter Pass (Ed.): Straussiana 1999. Studies on the life, work and impact of Johann Strauss (son). Hans Schneider, Tutzing 2002, p. 209.
  2. ↑ Fritz Hennenberg: It must be something wonderful: Ralph Benatzky - between ›Weißes Rößl‹ and Hollywood. Vienna 1998, p. 122.
  3. ↑ Peter Czada and Günter Große: Comedian Harmonists: A vocal ensemble conquers the world . Edition Hentrich, Berlin 1993, ISBN 978-3-89468-082-4 , p. 22.