The flower of Hawaii
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The flower of Hawaii |
| Shape: | operetta |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Paul Abraham |
| Libretto : | Emmerich Földes, Alfred Grünwald and Fritz Löhner-Beda |
| Premiere: | July 24, 1931 |
| Place of premiere: | Leipzig |
| Place and time of the action: | Honolulu and Monte Carlo around 1895 |
| people | |
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The Flower of Hawaii is an operetta by the Hungarian composer Paul Abraham . The libretto written Emmerich Földes , Alfred Grünwald and Fritz Beda-laborers . It premiered on July 24, 1931 in Leipzig . The story of Liliʻuokalani , the last Queen of Hawaiʻi, was the inspiration for this work.
orchestra
Different orchestral line-ups are possible, e.g. B. flute, oboe, three clarinets, bassoon, two horns, three trumpets, three trombones, two pianos, two banjos, harp, percussion and strings. Saxophones can also be used for some woodwind voices and Hawaiian guitars instead of banjos .
action
The operetta is set in Honolulu and Monte Carlo around 1895.
first act
Outside a villa in Honolulu
Shortly before the beginning of the 20th century, the American army occupied Hawaii and ousted the queen. Since then, a governor has ruled the archipelago. The Hawaiian Princess Laya has more or less resigned herself to the new circumstances, she prefers to stay in Paris, where her parents gave her education in her youth. Even as a child she was chosen to later become the wife of Prince Lilo-Taro. However, he loves life more than his home country and is often on the move.
A large part of the natives are repugnant to the American occupation. The party loyal to the king has chosen Kanako Hilo as their leader and hopes that he will succeed in shaking off colonial rule. Governor Harrison, however, has the plan to marry his niece Bessi with Lilo-Taro in order to gain influence on the Hawaiian leadership elite. Harrison's secretary John Buffy, on the other hand, does not fit this at all because he has his eyes on Bessi himself.
Captain Stone arrives in Honolulu. He had an artist couple on board his ship: the young man is the famous jazz singer Jim Boy. The lady accompanying him poses as the no less famous singer Susanne Provence. In fact, however, she is the returning Princess Laya, who initially wants to remain anonymous. On the crossing, Captain Stone fell in love with the "singer".
When Kanako Hilo has revealed the true identity of the singer, he hopes to win in her an ally in the fight against the occupying forces. The princess, however, is not enthusiastic about this idea, although the people greet her like a queen.
Second act
Hall in the Royal Palace in Honolulu
At the annual flower festival, it is customary for a young lady to be chosen as the flower queen, the “flower of Hawaii”. Princess Laya is to be proclaimed as such this year. Governor Harrison fears that the people will use this event as an opportunity to revolt against the occupying forces. He asked Princess Laya to sign a declaration that she waived any claim to sovereignty on behalf of the Hawaiian people. After the princess has rejected this request, she is declared an enemy of the state by the governor. Captain Stone is ordered to arrest them immediately. However, because he deeply admires the princess, he refuses the order and risks losing his post. To bail Stone out, Laya finally signs the statement. Lilo-Taro, who is now in love with his fiancée, misinterprets this. He is deeply desperate and flees to the sea to find death there. Laya now knows who her heart belongs to.
Third act
In a Chinese bar in Monte Carlo
All the protagonists of the operetta meet here to listen to the singing of the “real” Susanne Provence. Captain Stone, who was lucky enough to save Lilo-Taro from suicide in Honolulu, is now lucky too. He and the prince have become really close friends. Susanne Provence comforts him because he has to do without Laya in love. The end of the operetta is predictable: there are four happy couples, which of course also include Laya and Lilo-Taro.
music
This operetta is a typical product of the 1920s. Paul Abraham was one of the first composers to spice up the operetta genre with elements of jazz, which is just emerging in Europe, which is why this stage work looks like a musical in some places.
The musical highlights include:
- My golden baby (Slowfox)
- Today I have a Schwipserl
- A paradise on the beach (Slowfox)
- Wanna put the world at your feet (slow waltz)
- We sing to the jazz band (Foxtrot)
- Where there are girls, comrades (march)
- You dreamlike pearl of the South Seas (slow waltz)
- I'm just a Jonny, go through the world (Slowfox)
- My little boy, I'll stay true to you, I want to end up happy in your strong hands (Foxtrot) as well as the theme song
- Flower of Hawaii (Slowfox)
- I have a divan doll (Slowfox)
Film adaptations
In 1932/1933, the operetta was filmed under her name by Rio-Film GmbH Berlin . Directed by Richard Oswald , Marta Eggerth (Laya), Hans Fidesser (Lilo-Taro), Iván Petrovich (Captain Stone), Hans Junkermann (Governor), Baby Gray (Bessy) and Ernö Verebes (Buffy) played the leading roles.
In 1953 the feature film Blume von Hawaii appeared around the performance of the operetta. Directed by Géza von Cziffra , Maria Litto , William Stelling , Ursula Justin , Rudolf Platte , Paul Westermeier and Marina Ried played .
literature
- Piper's Enzyklopädie des Musiktheater , Volume 1, Ed. Carl Dahlhaus and Research Institute for Music Theater of the University of Bayreuth under the direction of Sieghart Döhring, ISBN 3-492-02411-4 , pp. 4-6
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Joachim Reisaus: The return of the "Flower of Hawaii" to Leipzig ( Memento from May 20, 2005 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ The Flower of Hawaii, Theater Texts ( Memento March 8, 2019 in the Internet Archive )