The Gypsy Princess

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Work data
Original title: The Gypsy Princess
Original language: German
Music: Emmerich Kálmán
Libretto : Leo Stein , Bela Jenbach
Premiere: November 17, 1915
Place of premiere: Johann-Strauss Theater , Vienna
people
  • Sylva Varescu, variety singer
  • Edwin, a prince's son, her admirer
  • Boni / Bonifaziu, a count, friend of Edwin's
  • Stasi / Anastasia, a Comtesse, Edwin's cousin
  • Feri, a nobleman, Edwin's pal
  • Eugene, relative of Edwin
  • Leopold Maria, Prince von and zu Lippert-Weylersheim, Edwin's father
  • Anhilte, his wife
  • several vaudeville ladies, their cavaliers and a notary
Poster for the first performance at Király Színház Budapest (1916)

The Csárdásfürstin , also Czárdásfürstin , is an operetta in three acts by Emmerich Kálmán . The first performance took place on November 17, 1915 in the Johann Strauss Theater in Vienna. The libretto is by Leo Stein and Bela Jenbach . Several film adaptations deal with this operetta, which is considered Kálmán's most successful.

The action takes place in Budapest and Vienna , just before the start of the First World War .

History of origin

In 1914, the two librettists worked with Kálmán on the first act of the operetta, which was originally to be given the title Long Live Love . For this they withdrew to the spa town of Marienbad . The main character of the piece was supposed to be the Romanian singer Sylva Varescu - which the Romanian name still indicates today.

After the beginning of the First World War in July 1914, work on the work was interrupted for about a year because it was not foreseeable whether there would even be a theater and opera in Vienna in the near future. The composer and authors did not resume work until the summer of 1915, this time in Bad Ischl . This turning point at the beginning of the war is also reflected in the lyrics of the second and third acts. In addition, the Romanian became a Hungarian singer.

In order to make the premiere on November 17, 1915 a distinctive event, the new title Die Csárdásfürstin was used, as the Oscar Straus operetta Rund um die Liebe with a similar title had only just caused a sensation. The premiere was a great success, followed by 533 further performances by May 1917. As early as 1916, the work was performed in other German-speaking houses as well as in Hungary and Sweden. Danish, Finnish, Polish and Russian translations followed in 1917, as well as the American premiere (in Hungarian).

Trivia

The fact that the alleged "director of the Johann Strauss Theater, Hubert Marischka ", scheduled the premiere for Friday the 13th to play a prank on the superstitious Kálmán, to whom he could not speak well, is untenable Legend, since November 13th 1915 was a Saturday and also not Hubert Marischka, but Erich Müller was the director of the Johann Strauss Theater.

It is true, however, that the originally planned premiere date was still not lucky, because the singer of Boni, Josef König, was indisposed on that day, which made it necessary to postpone it by a few days.

action

1st act

Sylva Varescu, a successful chansonnière , is preparing for her American tour in a Budapest theater. Her admirer, the Viennese prince's son Edwin Lippert-Weylersheim, wants to prevent her from doing so, contrary to the wishes of his parents, and to marry her. You therefore obtain a draft notice and have it delivered to Edwin by Eugen Rohnsdorff, a relative. In addition, the parents have already arranged an engagement with his cousin, Countess Stasi, and published it in advertisements. When Boni, a friend of Edwin's, sends this report to Sylva, she leaves for America in his company, disgruntled.

2nd act

A few weeks later, the Lippert-Weylersheims in Vienna announced the engagement of Edwin and his cousin Stasi. Suddenly Sylva, who does not reveal herself, appears with bonuses and pretends to be his wife. Edwin, who still loves her, asks his friend Boni for a divorce, since he knows that he actually loves the Stasi (as Boni once confessed to him). Sylva believes Edwin and agrees to the alleged divorce. Shortly before the announcement, it was made clear to her that she was not socially acceptable unless she accepted a title of nobility. Then she reveals her true identity as Csárdásfürstin, which turns into a scandal .

3rd act

In the third act, everyone comes together again in a Viennese hotel. With some misunderstandings and turbulence, it turns out that Feri-Bacsi , a friend of Edwin's mother, recognizes his former love Hilda, a provincial primadonna. Prince Leopold's arguments against a wedding between Edwin and Sylva slip away. All consent to this marriage as well as to that of Boni and Stasi.

Music numbers

The score contains the following musical numbers:

  • Foreplay (orchestra)
  • No. 1 song: Heia, heia, in the mountains is my homeland (Sylva, Boni, Feri, Chor)
  • No. 2 March-Ensemble: We are all sinners - Die Mädis vom Chantant (Boni, Feri, Chor)
  • No. 3 duet: Sylva I only want you - yes, there are wonderful girls (Sylva, Edwin)
  • No. 4 song: It's over with love - Chose is not entirely without women (bonuses, choir)
  • No. 5 song: O don't chase happiness (Sylva, Edwin, Boni)
  • No. 6 Finale I: Me Edwin Ronald ... wedding dance ..... right now ..... hot to be so in love (all)
  • No. 6a: Entr'acte (Prelude to Act 2) (Orchestra)
  • No. 7 Dance Waltz: Shine the Lights (Choir)
  • No. 8 Duet: I'm waiting for the great miracle - Let's do it after the swallows (Stasi, Edwin)
  • No. 9 Duet: Bright jubilation - Do you still remember (Sylva, Edwin)
  • No. 10 Quartet: Liebchen mich tears (Sylva, Stasi, Edwin, Boni)
  • No. 11 duet: girl look ... that's love, stupid love (Stasi, bonuses)
  • No. 12 Duet: I want to dance - a thousand little angels sing (Sylva, Edwin)
  • No. 13 Finale II: Forgive Papa .... If two human children love each other (all)
  • No. 13a Intermezzo (orchestra)
  • No. 14 song: Gypsies take your violin - Jai Mamám, brother, I'll buy the world (Edwin, Boni)
  • No. 15 duet: girl look ... that's love, stupid love (Stasi, bonuses) (reminiscence of No. 11)
  • No. 16 Finale III: A Thousand Little Angels Sing (All)

Occasionally, when this operetta is performed, you will play or sang the song Heut 'Nacht hab' I dreamed from you from the operetta Das Veilchen vom Montmartre , also by Emmerich Kálmán.

The musical highlight is the renewed meeting of Edwin and Sylva in the second act: a melancholy waltz in the key of C minor.

Orchestral line-up

Woodwinds: 2 flutes (both with piccolo ), 2 oboes , 2 clarinets , 2 bassoons

Brass: 4 horns , 2 trumpets , 3 trombones

Timpani , drums , harp , celesta

Strings

Important productions

Konwitschny relocates the second and third acts in bombed-out, destroyed hotels and in the trenches in order to underline the contrast between cheerful music and plot and the gloomy global political background.
Open-air production at the largest operetta festival in Germany.
"Wolfgang Dosch staged Emmerich Kálmán's operetta" Die Csárdásfürstin "at high speed and with a lot of humor, an unbeatable musical ear and a choreographic eye, without freezing in awe of an indisputable masterpiece." (Source: gundl.at)
Concert performance on December 28, 2014, broadcast with a delay on ZDF . Conductor Christian Thielemann , singers: Anna Netrebko , Juan Diego Flórez , Pavol Breslik u. a.
New production at the Hagen Theater in autumn with Veronika Haller in the title role, received enthusiastically . Other singers: Kenneth Mattice , Rainer Zaun , Richard van Germert , Maria Klier , Werner Hahn , Marilyn Bennett u. a .; Director: Holger Potocki ; Conductor: Steffen Müller-Gabriel . With time-critical references in the stage design and via video feed.

Film adaptations

See also

Web links