The merry war

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Work data
Title: The merry war
Shape: operetta
Original language: German
Music: Johann Strauss (son)
Libretto : F. Zell and Richard Genée
Premiere: November 25, 1881
Place of premiere: Vienna
Place and time of the action: Near Genoa around 1720
people
  • Violetta, widowed Countess Lomelli ( soprano )
  • Umberto Spinola, Colonel ( tenor )
  • Artemisia, Princess of Massa-Carrara ( old )
  • Marchese Sebastiano ( Tenorbuffo )
  • Else Groot ( soubrette )
  • Balthasar Groot, her husband, a tulip dealer from Holland (Tenorbuffo)
  • Riccardo Durazzo ( baritone )
  • Fortunato Franchetti ( bass baritone )
  • Carlo Spinzi ( bass )
  • Biffi (tenor)
  • Pamfilio (play baritone)
  • Three ladies (soprano, mezzo-soprano and alto)
  • Commissioners (tenor and bass)
  • Colonel van Scheelen (speaking role)
  • Male and female officers, soldiers, people ( choir )

The Merry War is an operetta in three acts by Johann Strauss (son) . The libretto comes from the tried and tested team of F. Zell and Richard Genée . The work had its world premiere on November 25, 1881 in the Theater an der Wien in Vienna.

orchestra

Two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, a harp, percussion and strings

action

place and time

The operetta is set in two Italian principalities near Genoa around 1720.

first act

Image: Field camp of the Genoese troops in front of Massa-Carrara

The principalities of Genoa and Massa-Carrara have declared war over a minor matter ; but neither side wants to begin the first act of war. Therefore, the troops in the camp are bored and spend most of their time singing and drinking. But that ends when a few soldiers from the Genoese army drag some women and the Marchese Sebastiano from the hostile principality into the camp as prisoners.

The Marchese is a big busybody who can't keep a secret to himself. Quite carefree, he tells Umberto Spinola, the leader of the Genoese troops, that his uncle, the ruling prince of Massa-Carrara, had set up an army of belligerent women. The commanding officer is the young widowed Countess Violetta Lomelli. This was promised by his uncle to the Duke of Limburg as his future wife. In gratitude, the Duke would send his troops to reinforce them. Unfortunately, the duke himself is indispensable, which is why a long-distance wedding must be held, at which the Limburg Colonel van Scheelen represents the bridegroom. What the stupid Marchese doesn't know: Umberto Spinola intercepted von Scheelen, together with a Dutchman named Balthasar Groot, who pretends that not only his tulips were stolen from him, but also his wife Else.

Violetta, the leader of the forces of Massa-Carrara, has also snuck into the enemy camp - disguised as a simple farmer's wife - to sound out the situation. She asks Umberto Spinola for a pass. With a lot of charm she succeeds in making the commander in chief fall head over heels in love with her and grant her wish.

Violetta discovers Marchese Sebastiano among the prisoners. She sneaks up to him to deliver a message. The conversation is overheard by Colonel Spinola. Now it becomes clear to him who the “farmer's wife” really is. Immediately he decides to turn the tables and also to fool the countess. He steps up to her and declares that he knows her true identity. He only waited for her because he was the ambassador of the Duke of Limburg and had the job of representing him at the wedding. After he can show the appropriate power of attorney, Violetta agrees. Together they go to the nearby Malaspina Castle, in whose chapel the wedding ceremony will take place.

Second act

Image: Salon in the castle

Artemisia, the wife of the Prince of Massa-Carrara, has invited a couple of noble ladies to a coffee party in the castle. Suddenly the Marchese bursts in. (The enemy let him go because he seemed worthless.) He excitedly reports that Countess Violetta is in enemy hands. But he himself also captured someone: Else, the wife of a Dutch tulip grower. She complains that she was forcibly separated from her husband, but Artemisia thinks she is a fraud.

Completely surprisingly, Violetta appears, accompanied by Umberto Spinola and the tulip grower. Umberto jokingly claims that the latter is the Duke of Limburg. Else can't believe that her husband can put up with something like this and tells him to end this comedy immediately. The bickering between the two has not escaped Artemisia. She believes Else is the Duke of Limburg's mistress, with whom he is cheating on his wife Violetta. She therefore asks the "Duke" to retire to the chamber with his wife, but this wish is not granted. After some mix-ups, Else reconciles with her husband, and Umberto confesses to Violetta that he loves her.

Third act

Image: Hall in the castle

The third act is by far the shortest without any major drama. Everything dissolves into pleasure. It also turns out that the long-distance marriage was a real marriage: Violetta and Umberto are lawful spouses. When the news arrives that the cause of the armed conflict has disappeared, the couple is happy that they no longer have to be enemies. They have come to love each other and are grateful that they were married to each other. Everyone cheered the end of the war and cheered the couple.

music

The Merry War was one of his most frequently performed works during Johann Strauss' lifetime, and rightly so, as he poured out some of his most beautiful musical ideas in it. To represent all of them, only the following numbers are highlighted:

  • Quintet Violetta, Umberto, Marchese, Franchetti and Spinzi “Coming and going without seeing from the first act;
  • Waltz of the Marchese "Nur für Natur" in the second act, a melody that haunts your head for a long time after the last curtain has fallen. This waltz goes back to the initiative of Alexander Girardi , who became known in one fell swoop.
  • the grand finale of the second act “The signal calls for a fight, if there was a fight, which Freud” and
  • Final third act “May not envy anyone for fame and honor ... Sweet peace bells, heavenly melody” .

According to the piano reduction (see web link) the score includes the following 19 numbers in total:

overture

No. 1: Introduction: No Fight No Victory (Choir)

No. 2 Couplet: You still came without bloodshed (Umberto)

No. 2 ½ a flash, a bang, a little shock (Umberto)

No. 2 ¾ With my enemies (Sebastiano)

No. 3 Ensemble and song: Mr. General, Mr. General! Where's the general ... We made the trip from Holland together ... Poor Balthasar (all of them)

No. 4 song: In vain I can't go ... Well for this campaign (Violetta)

No. 5 Duet: It is quite impossible Please! You're welcome! - Oh, I don't believe in it and I can tell by looking at it (Violetta, Umberto)

No. 6 Quintet: Come and go without seeing (Violetta, Sebastiano, Umberto, Franchetti, Spinzi)

No. 6 ½ Small orchestral interlude (orchestra) only 45 bars

No. 7 Finale I: The signal calls for an argument ... If he reads it, we are lost - yes, we hurry quickly (all)

No. 8 Introduction (to the 2nd act): The princess invited to coffee (choir) ... I commanded, instructed many companies

No. 8 ½ song: I want to see the enemy who can resist (Artemisia, choir)

No. 9 song: I'm wrong through forest and field - When you have to worry about lonely (Else)

No. 10 Ensemble - song choir: Heil, Heil, der Gräfin (all) .... It was a funny adventure (Violetta)

No. 10 ½ short interlude (25 bars) (orchestra)

No. 11 Waltz song (Couplet): Only for nature (Sebastiano)

No. 12 Ensemble and Dutch song: The one you imagined far met you today! - Me Frouwn ick wensch u gooden dag (all)

No. 13 Duet: I have to experience beautiful stories - What is important about a kiss (Else, Balthasar)

No. 14 Finale II: The night is already getting dark - Yes, it is and remains a merry war (all)

No. 15 Entr'act (to the 3rd act) (orchestra)

No. 16 choir and key couplet: The commandant came

No. 17 Duet: It's already been two months - Silver-bright children's laughter (Else, Balthasar)

No. 18: Trio: Mine is the command - sweet peace bells - heavenly melody (all)

No. 19 final chant: May not envy anyone for fame and honor

Musical re-use

Independent works by the composer were then created based on motifs from this operetta, which are identified in his catalog raisonné with the opus numbers 397 to 405 and 407. These are the following works:

Sound carrier

Double CD at the ORF shop with Eva Mei , Jorma Silvasti, Daphne Evangelatos , Jörg Schneider , Paul Armin Edelmann , Birgid Steinberger , Klaus Kuttler, Frank Blees, Wiener Jeunesse-Chor and Wiener Motettenchor as well as the radio symphony orchestra under the direction of Ulf Schirmer .

Web link

Individual evidence

  1. Alexander Girardi , Austria Forum