The last waltz
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The last waltz |
| Shape: | operetta |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Oscar Straus |
| Libretto : | Julius Brammer and Alfred Grünwald |
| Premiere: | February 12, 1920 |
| Place of premiere: | Berlin |
| Place and time of the action: | Russia 1910 |
| people | |
|
|
The Last Waltz is a three-act operetta by Oscar Straus . The libretto was written by Julius Brammer and Alfred Grünwald . It premiered on February 12, 1920 at the Berlin Theater in Berlin. Fritzi Massary played the leading female role. Not least because of her art, the work was a great success.
orchestra
Two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, a harp, a celesta , a mandolin, large percussion and strings
action
The operetta is set in a castle in Russia a few years before the start of the First World War (around 1910).
Prince Paul is an old man. He is particularly fond of the pretty young Vera Lisaweta. When he wants to start a fuss with her, but she lets him down , he becomes intrusive. Fortunately, Count Dimitri Sarrasov is nearby, a true gentleman. He immediately intervenes and protects the lady. It's love at first sight for both of them. The insidious Prince Paul convenes a vein court that sentences the count to death. He was held in the castle until he was executed.
In order to get revenge on the beautiful Vera Lisaweta, the prince has made sure that she has to marry the old General Krasinski. Today we celebrate hen party. The captured count is allowed to dance his last waltz at the ball. As a condition, however, he had to give his word of honor not to abuse the brief freedom to escape. Count Sarrasov promises it. At the ball he immediately recognizes that the bride is none other than the noble lady whom he once protected from the intrusive prince, and she too recognizes her protector.
Vera does everything possible to help her lover escape. First of all, part of her plan is for Dimitry to break his word of honor, but shortly thereafter return apparently remorseful and allow himself to be led away.
Prince Paul still hopes to win over beautiful Vera. The morning after the ball, he invites her to his salon. Vera uses the opportunity to seduce her insidious admirer with every trick in the book. He is only too happy to get involved in the game. When he thinks he has reached his goal, Vera defies him the promise to give her the command of the castle for a day. She immediately orders the servants to bring the captured count to the castle chapel. A lightning wedding ceremony for the two lovers takes place there.
Prince Paul realizes too late that he has been tricked by Vera. However, he shows himself to be a fair loser and lets the young couple go.
Film adaptations
- Germany 1934: Under the direction of Georg Jacoby played Adele Sandrock , Ernst Dumcke, Susi Lanner, Ivan Petrovich and Camilla Horn, the leading roles. Paul Hühn arranged the music using the melodies of Oscar Straus. The lexicon of international film comes to the conclusion that it is a matter of "splendidly furnished German prewar cinema".
- The last waltz , Germany 1953: Arthur Maria Rabenalt directedthe remake. This time Eva Bartok , Curd Jürgens , OE Hasse , Siegfried Breuer , Rudolf Schündler , Erni Mangold and Anneliese Kaplan played the main roles. Again, the music by Oscar Straus could not be heard in the original, but only in an arrangement by Bruno Uher. The lexicon of international film judges: "Halfway lively remake of the romantic Oscar Straus operetta, carried by the popular melodies."
- Germany 1973: A television adaptation of ZDF in color with Marika Rökk , Ivan Rebroff , Fritz Tillmann , Ernst Waldbrunn and others. v. a.
Individual evidence
- ↑ The last waltz. Retrieved February 19, 2019 .