The devil on earth
| Work data | |
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| Title: | The devil on earth |
| Shape: | operetta |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Franz von Suppè |
| Libretto : | Karl Juin and Julius Hopp |
| Premiere: | January 5, 1878 |
| Place of premiere: | Carltheater, Vienna |
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The devil on earth is an operetta in four acts by Franz von Suppè . The libretto is by Karl Juin and Julius Hopp . The work was premiered on January 5, 1878 in the Carltheater in Vienna . The German premiere took place on July 1, 2016 in a revised version at the Bavarian Theater Academy August Everding in the Munich Academy Theater .
action
first act
There is a revolt in hell, the sub-devils Astaroth, Asrael, Abadonna and Ariel are calling for a constitution, they want a parliament, demand freedom of the press, demand the abolition of serfdom and other liberal achievements, which in part (only not in Austria at that time) already there on earth. Satanas, the prince of the underworld and his steward Mefistofeles want to put down the revolt with the help of the three most important ministers, Lucifer, Samuel and Beelzebub. But they cannot be reached because they have not yet returned from a vacation on Earth. So Satanas and Mefistofeles went to earth to look for them.
Second act
In a ladies' pen, Mefistofeles disguises himself as a porter after locking the correct incumbent in the wine cellar. Satanas also appears there and observes further events from a hiding place. The two devils notice how the headmistress Aglaya wants to seize the property of her ward Amanda. Amanda, also an inmate of the pen, wants to be kidnapped by her lover, Ensign Isidor. For this purpose, his colleague Reinhardt starts a diversionary maneuver by disguising himself as a woman, sneaking into the women's pen in order to conceal the absence of the abductee. Of course, for the plan to succeed, the porter, in this case the wrong one, namely the disguised Mefistofels, had to be bribed. Reinhardt is immediately exposed by Amanda's jealous friend Isabella, who first calls the other girls for help, who immediately pounce on the one man who is finally within her walls. Even the new headmistress cannot be fooled by Reinhardt's disguise for long. To save the situation, Reinhardt Aglaja pretends to ensnare her, whereupon she immediately starts. Satanas and Mefistofeles, who initially suspected one of the wanted devils behind almost everyone involved, finally recognized the wanted Lucifer in Aglaya, whom they immediately sent back to hell.
Third act
Satanas and Mefistofels were now looking for the other two devils in the nearby cadet institution, where the successful kidnapping is being celebrated. Mefistofeles disguised himself as a head waiter. The officers released the cadets so that Isidor and Amanda and Reinhardt and his girlfriend, the dancer Rosine, who is also Amanda's sister, can celebrate undisturbed. Rosine also brought all the ballet girls from the theater with her. When Captain Donnerkeil unexpectedly shows up for an inspection, she quickly puts the ballet girls in the uniforms of the absent cadets. Although the otherwise so strict thunderbolt sees through the deception he has been pretending to be, he lets it pass because he expects personal advantages in the form of amorous adventures. Because of this behavior, Satanas recognizes the devil Samuel in the person of the captain and also sends him back to hell, but first lets him celebrate with the others for 10 minutes.
Fourth act
In the ballet hall of the theater the ballet master Muzzerelli rehearses with raisin and Amanda. The latter was also included with the dancers. Satanas and Mefistofeles, who have turned into dancers, must also attend the rehearsal for better or worse. Then the director comes in and dismisses Rosine, Amanda and Muzzerelli. Now the two devils in the director suspect the last remaining devil Beelzebub. But Muzzerelli explains to the two that everyone in the theater is suspected of malicious intrigues and he now also admits that he is not an Italian at all, but rather Viennese and has only acquired the Italian habitus in order to have better chances of success in the theater. Satanas and Mefistofeles come to the realization that Beelzebub is probably in everyone and therefore cannot be tracked down. Meanwhile, the devils who were sent back, Lucifer and Samuel, have put down the revolt in Hell, and Satanas and Mefistofeles decide to return there. Before that there is a happy ending with the protagonists on earth, namely with Isidor and his Amanda and Reinhart with raisin.
music
There is a radio production by WDR from 1984. It does not contain well-known music numbers. Some of the marching melodies that appear in the operetta have become known in a compilation as the Devil's March. Incidentally, like the title “With fiery hot lust”, this is also found in the three-act revision of “ Bandit Pranks ” from 1954. Suppé's biographer Hans-Dieter Roser describes the work as “an extraordinarily comic operetta in the spirit of Offenbach ...” and says it “... should actually be mentioned in the same breath as the great Suppé operettas”. The fact that the operetta could not prevail at the time of its premiere may be due to the undisguised demand for more liberality, which was not popular during the times of the monarchy. However, it is regrettable that it was not rediscovered later and that it only saw its German premiere in 2016.
literature
- Hans-Dieter Roser : Franz von Suppé: Work and Life. Edition Steinbauer, Vienna 2007, ISBN 978-3-902494-22-1 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Devil on Earth , Bavarian Theater Academy August Everding
- ^ Hans-Dieter Roser: Franz von Suppè. P. 158.