The husband of the gods
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The husband of the gods |
| Shape: | operetta |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Franz Lehár |
| Libretto : | Victor Léon , Leo Stein |
| Premiere: | January 20, 1904 |
| Place of premiere: | Carltheater , Vienna |
| Place and time of the action: | The Olympus and Thebes (Thessaly) in ancient times |
| people | |
The Spouse of the Gods is an operetta ( Opera buffa ) in two pictures by the composer Franz Lehár ; for the libretto recorded Victor Léon and Leo Stein responsible. The world premiere of this work took place on January 20, 1904 at the Carltheater in Vienna.
Lehár has revised the work twice, first as The Ideal Wife (1913) and then again as The Tango Queen (1921). Julius Brammer and Alfred Grünwald wrote the libretto for both adaptations that are not set in ancient Greece
This operetta travestates Kleist's Amphitryon and is musically entirely in the style of Jacques Offenbach .
action
Foreplay - On Olympus
Mäandros, a theater director looking for a profitable play, visits the muse Thalia on Mount Olympus . Through Thalia, Mäandros immediately got an audience with Jupiter and won him over for a new theatrical sensation, the operetta. The gods father is enthusiastic and promises to deliver a suitable libretto in the shortest possible time .
Now Jupiter is secretly going to earth with Mercurius to experience an adventure. This should then be communicated to the people via operetta. Juno , Jupiter's wife, secretly follows him, knowing that he has a weakness for certain adventures.
Jupiter sends Mercury to the kingdom of Thebes in the form of the servant Sosias. There Alkmene , the pretty wife, is waiting for her husband Amphitryon , King of Thebes. He is waging war in Macedonia. When Mercury as Sosias reports the return of Amphitryon, Juno suspects the intentions and in turn assumes the form of Alcmenes. In this way she wants to convict her husband of adultery.
Act 1 - Palace of Amphitryon
Meanwhile the real Amphitryon sends his real servant Sosias home to announce his return for the next day. There is great confusion in the palace when the real and the false Sosias arrive shortly after one another. The situation only eases when Juno can send the real Alcmene out of the palace.
When Jupiter (as Amphitryon) appears, Juno (as Alcmene) leads him into the marital rooms. After that, Jupiter breaks up again immediately and leaves the palace. Almost at the same time the correct Amphitryon appears, which Juno takes to be Jupiter, who has returned. This is how the real Amphitryon learns of the alleged infidelity of Alcmenes.
2nd act - park behind the palace
When Jupiter really reappears as Amphitryon later, all entanglements are completely cleared up. Amphitryon rejoices in his wife's virtue and Juno was able to keep her intrigues a secret from Jupiter. Jupiter promises to forbear certain adventures in the future.
Recordings
The historical recording of a radio device by Lothar Riedinger for the Wiener Rundfunk from March 15, 1945 under the musical direction of Max Schönherr has been preserved. Liesl Andergast (Juno), Franz Borsos (Jupiter), Anton Dermota (Amphitryon), Henny Herze (Alkmene), Fred Liewehr (Sosias) and Lizzi Holzschuh (Charis) will sing . The CPO label released this recording from the holdings of the German Broadcasting Archive in 2012.
Music numbers
The above-mentioned historical recording or the booklet of the CD released under the CPO label contains the following list of the musical numbers of this operetta, which should also correspond to the score:
overture
No. 1 Introduction: We poor, poor muses
No. 2 duet: Bonjour Mon Ami
No. 3 Duettino: I wait for yours
No. 4 Finale I: Everyone is informed
No. 5a. Melodrama
No. 6 Entree and serenade: It's particularly dark tonight
No. 6a Entree: Something will be going on tonight
No. 7 Jupiter's Arrival and Duet: Who Announces Amphitryon
No. 8 trio: You cheated on me
No. 10: Cupid song: I am considered the greatest of all gods
No. 12 song: Wake up dear
No. 13 Finale II: Alcmene, Beloved
No. 14 between music
# 15 Every man believes his wife
No. 16 Trio: Who sings a drinking song
No. 16a: Jupiter March: Now for the last time to her
No. 18 closing song: Cupid you loose scoffers
literature
- Critique of the premiere in Wiener Zeitung , January 21, 1904 (by kg).
- Critique of the premiere in Freie Presse Vienna , January 21, 1904.
- Leo Melitz: Guide through the operettas. Globus, Berlin 1917, pp. 80–81.