The toboggan gypsy
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The toboggan gypsy |
| Original title: | The toboggan gypsy |
| Shape: | operetta |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Josef Snaga |
| Libretto : | Leo Kastner |
| Premiere: | 1910 |
| Place of premiere: | Berlin |
| Place and time of the action: | around 1910 in a modern hotel in St. Moritz (1st act) and on an old farm in Galicia (2nd - 3rd act) |
| people | |
|
|
Der Rodelzigeuner is an operetta in three acts by the composer Josef Snaga ; for the libretto drew Leo Kastner ( pseudonym for Christian Eckelmann responsible). This work had its world premiere in 1910 in Berlin .
action
- First act - hotel vestibule
Because of his wild and fearless tobogganing, Winko von Veröszy is known throughout St. Moritz and the surrounding area as “the toboggan gypsy”. Now, at the request of an uncle Iwo, Veröszy is supposed to break off the vacation and come back to Galicia at the Starostenhof . Iwo Satowitsch wants to bequeath the estate to his grandson and an additional million in cash; The only condition of the testator is a marriage within two years.
This deadline has now almost passed when Veröszy meets the court opera singer Wanda in St. Moritz and falls in love with her. Instead of going to his uncle, Veröszy wants to marry his Wanda. In order to be sure of her love, he had kept the forthcoming inheritance from Wanda.
His future mother-in-law Eulalia calls herself a “doctor”, but is only a corn surgeon and widow of a hairdresser. Wanda's agent Degenhardt tries to persuade the singer to go on a lucrative tour of the USA through Eulalia - with the condition of an immediate departure.
Wanda loves Winko, but then follows her stepmother's requests and leaves. She abandons her wedding and writes her groom an explanatory letter. After Wanda's departure, Eulalia found out about the millionaire heir by chance and immediately made herself available as a bride. Winko - still stunned by the disappearance of his bride - agrees.
Opposite this serious relationship are the lovers Pepi Willner and Gustav von Neuhoff. The whole scene of the first act is enlivened by sporty women and men and interested tourists from England and France testify to a modern winter sports resort.
- Act Two - Hall in the Satowitschen Manor in Galicia
Winko and his wife Eulalia now live on the inherited estate; They are accompanied by their vacation friend Neuhoff. Since, according to the will, the wife has to be young and pretty, Winko hides his Eulalia from his uncle. At the few meetings Eulalia always appears veiled. Uncle Iwo is therefore becoming more and more suspicious, as he cannot explain Eulalia's behavior.
Eulalia has now recognized Iwo as her lover from her youth and wants to talk to him in the private room. Wanda now appears at the manor, who out of regret had not started her tour. To test her groom, she disguised herself as a gypsy. Winko has never read the letter she wrote and when he recognizes the disguised woman, he hurls “prostitute” at her.
Wanda staggered and passed out into her mother's arms, who felt caught at her tête-à-tête with Iwo because of the noise . In the meantime, Pepi has arrived at the estate looking for her lover. When she is introduced to Uncle Iwo, it turns out that she is his niece who no one knew about.
Various funny scenes - and also dialogues - should not turn the serious plot into tragic.
- Third act - winter garden in the manor
Resolute Pepi now begins to sort out the situation. First, she reconciles Winko with Wandsa. Together with Eulalia, she convinces Iwo that Wanda is his and Eulalia's daughter. With this late happiness in mind, Iwo Eulialia immediately proposes marriage.
When looking through the books in the estate management, Pepi learns that years ago Uncle Iwo had already offered a million for his missing daughter. Trickly and with the support of everyone, Pepi now proves by means of various documents that she is the daughter who was believed to be lost.
She was immediately awarded the money, but waived in favor of her friend Gustav. At the beginning of their relationship, he swore not to marry Pepi until he became a millionaire.
Now peace has returned to the estate and the three happy couples start preparing for the big wedding celebration.
literature
- Leo Melitz: Guide through the operettas . Globus-Verlag, Berlin 1917, pp. 187–188.