The cousin from Dingsda

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Work data
Title: The cousin from Dingsda
Shape: operetta
Original language: German
Music: Eduard Künneke
Libretto : Herman Haller , Fritz Oliven , based on a comedy by Max Kempner-Hochstädt
Premiere: April 15, 1921
Place of premiere: Theater am Nollendorfplatz , Berlin
Place and time of the action: Villa de Weert, South Holland around 1921
people
  • Julia de Weert ( soprano )
  • August Kuhbrot, the first stranger ( tenor )
  • Hannchen, friend of Julia ( Soubrette )
  • Roderich de Weert, the second stranger ( Tenorbuffo )
  • Josef Kuhbrot, Julia's uncle ( Bassbuffo )
  • Wilhelmine Kuhbrot, his wife ( old )
  • Egon von Wildenhagen (Tenorbuffo)
  • Servant Hans ( baritone )
  • Servant Karl (bass)

The cousin from Dingsda is an operetta in three acts by the German composer Eduard Künneke (1885–1953); his by far the most successful piece. The libretto is by Herman Haller and Fritz Oliven . The premiere took place on April 15, 1921 in the Theater am Nollendorfplatz in the Schöneberg district of Berlin .

action

1st act

The young Julia - rich heiress at Castle de Weert - can hardly bear the guardianship of Uncle Josef and Aunt Wilhelmine, known as "Josse" and "Wimpel". She and her friend Hannchen agree on that! She waited longingly for the age of majority - and for the return of her cousin Roderich, who left for Java seven years ago for “Dingsda” in East Asia . At that time she had sworn to him eternal loyalty and given him a ring as a sign.

Uncle and aunt have very different marriage plans for their niece. Josses nephew August Kuhbrot should win Julia's heart - and with it her money. And Julia's second guardian, v. Wildenhagen, she wants to marry off his son Egon. But Julia only dreams of Roderich.

On the evening of their coming of age, a stranger stands in front of the castle and claims to have lost his way. When she asks who he is, he introduces himself as a “poor wanderer”. Julia feels ready for a prank. She invites the tramp and offers him a bedroom in the castle to spend the night. While she entertains him, she tells him of her eternal love for her cousin in Batavia .

2nd act

The next morning the stranger introduces himself to Uncle Josse and Auntie Wimpel as their nephew without giving his name. The two immediately mistake him for Roderich, who has returned from Batavia, and are not very pleased, because that would mean that August Kuhbrot's chances of getting married would be gone. The stranger leaves her in error - he has fallen in love with Julia and hopes to win her heart as Roderich.

Julia is not sure whether the stranger is really Roderich and asks him: “Do you remember how we played as children? - Sometimes I think maybe it's not you, and then I'm so ashamed ... "He distracts:" Child, you don't have to think so terribly much. Kiss me and everything will be fine! "

The two agree, and Julia's happiness seems perfect. Then comes the flashed-off Egon v. Wildenhagen, whose father has in the meantime made inquiries, and announces that cousin Roderich was still in Batavia six weeks ago and could not have arrived at all, because the next ship is only arriving in Hamburg today!

"Tell me if you are Roderich!" Asks Julia. - “Do you only love me when I am Roderich?” The traveling companion admits that he is not Julia's beloved Roderich, and does not even want to be. “I'm just a poor traveling companion, good night, dear girl, good night.” Sadly, Julia lets the stranger go away, even though she loves him, because she doesn't want to break the oath of loyalty she gave to Roderich seven years ago.

3rd act

Another stranger appears in an automobile in front of the castle. Julia's friend Hannchen falls in love with the funny guy at first sight. But when he introduces himself as the real Roderich de Weert, Hannchen is dismayed: Roderich hasn't thought of Julia at all for all these years! How will she cope with that? Hannchen suggests to Roderich that he should introduce himself to Julia as August Kuhbrodt so that she immediately rejects him.

Uncle Josse learns that his nephew August arrived by train the day before yesterday. But the young man did not arrive at Castle de Weert! Has something happened to him? Did the strange traveling companion attack him and kill him? With the help of their servants Hans and Karl, uncle and aunt want to arrest him. The real Roderich appears as a fake August and declares that he was not killed. Uncle and aunt tell him to approach Julia straight away, "what you are supposed to do there, you know that."

Julia rejects him. The supposed August and real Roderich tells her that her childhood love is not worth her, that he never took the oath of allegiance seriously when he was a child and that he was engaged to someone else. Be it himself! To prove it, he shows her the ring she gave him seven years ago. - Julia is dismayed: because of him she sent the beloved traveling companion away!

But it's not far, “and in the fairy tale, the two became a couple”: Julia's lover explains that he is August's cow bread that she wanted to chase from the farm with dogs - but: “For me you are Roderich, my Roderich! "- Hannchen gets the real Roderich," and you will be my August! ", And for Egon v. Wildenhagen only has one way out: "You are going to Batavia!"

Well-known pieces

  • Uncle and aunt, yes, they are relatives that you prefer to only see from behind .
  • Shining moon, enthroned in the sky .
  • O dear, honored, beguiled by love .
  • Hello, hello, it called somewhere - I got lost - Say who are you? - I'm just a poor wanderer .
  • Luck often comes unexpectedly - If you think I know who that is - Roderich, Roderich .
  • Do you remember how we played as kids? - Child, you don't have to think too much! Kiss me and you'll be fine .
  • I just kept thinking of her .
  • I lived in Batavia for seven years .
  • Isn't it, it's like in the magic kingdom here? - And in the fairy tale, the two became a couple - I'm just a poor wanderer .
  • Oh, holy Nicholas .
  • Luck often comes unexpectedly - in the name of the law! - It's him, it's him, Augustine! .

Edits

Film adaptations

literature

  • Otto Schneidereit: Operetta from Abraham to Ziehrer . Henschelverlag for Art and Society, Berlin 1966, pp. 168–173

Web links