The Dubarry
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Dubarry |
| Shape: | operetta |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Carl Millöcker / Theo Mackeben |
| Libretto : | F. Zell, Richard Genée, Paul Knepler, Ignaz Michael Welleminsky, Hans Martin Cremer |
| Premiere: | Original version: October 31, 1879, new version: August 14, 1931 |
| Place of premiere: | Original version: Vienna, new version: Berlin |
| Place and time of the action: | Paris 1764 |
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Dubarry is an operetta in nine pictures by the Austrian composer Carl Millöcker in the musical revision by Theo Mackeben and the textual redesign by Paul Knepler , Ignaz Michael Welleminsky and Hans Martin Cremer . The original was called Countess Dubarry and was a three-act operetta for which F. Zell and Richard Genée wrote the libretto. This had its first performance on October 31, 1879 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna. The new version was first staged on August 14, 1931 in Berlin's Admiralspalast . If the work is performed today - for example in 2006 at the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz in Munich - it will only be played in this version. The performance requires a middle choir part and a ballet. The title character in the work is the historical person Marie-Jeanne Bécu, comtesse du Barry .
orchestra
A flute, two oboes, three clarinets, a bassoon, three horns, two trumpets, three trombones, a bass tuba, a harp, a piano, percussion and strings
Stage sets
Image 1: fashion salon , image 2: amusement park , image 3: painter's studio , image 4: in front of the curtain , image 5: ballroom , image 6: dressing room , image 7: splendid salon , image 8: salon , image 9: palace park
action
The operetta takes place in Paris, Versailles and in the park of Schloss Trianon during the reign of Louis XV, around 1762.
In Madame Labilles fashion salon in Paris also coming from a humble girlfriends Margot and Marie Jeanne work as milliners . A commission from the boss leads Marie Jeanne into the studio of the painter René Lavallery. The two are immediately sympathetic and fall in love with each other. Marie Jeanne moves in with her lover. When the latter is absent, an extremely distinguished stranger enters the studio. It's Count Dubarry. He noticed the pretty girl recently in an amusement park near the capital. The idea immediately occurred to him to recruit the beautiful as a tool for his dark plans. Now he pretends to want to buy a picture. When looking at the paintings, the portrait of Marie Jeanne, which her lover finished only yesterday, catches his eye. When Marie Jeanne declares the work not for sale, the count becomes intrusive. But Marie Jeanne keeps her nerve and fends off him. The count leaves the studio without having achieved anything.
When René returns to his studio, his girlfriend does not say a word about the incident. But a kick-ass neighbor cannot hold back from describing to him in the brightest colors what she has seen or claims to have seen. The painter believes her and not Marie Jeanne. He even explains that she had abused his trust and had been his girlfriend for the longest time. Marie Jeanne leaves the house sad.
Count Dubarry receives a visit from his friend Marquis de Brissac. He tells him in glowing colors about the singing dancer Manon, who is currently making the hearts of men beat faster in the Verrières siblings' bar. Having become curious, the Count decides to go to the next performance with the Marquis.
The count immediately recognizes that the dancer Manon is none other than the cleaning lady Marie Jeanne. Again he makes the decision to use her for his political plans: King Louis XV. is getting tired of his aging mistress Pompadour and would like to have a younger one to succeed her. There is a rumor at court that it is supposed to be the Prime Minister's sister, because this, the Duke of Choiseul, expects to gain more influence, and this is precisely what Count Dubarry wants to prevent. That is why he is also looking for a charming lady for the king.
Marie Jeanne is courted by many applicants. One of them gives her all of his money and asks her to use it to bet for him at the gambling that is currently taking place. The girl does it and - loses. When the financier gets angry, she laughs at him too. In order not to let the situation escalate, Count Dubarry replaces all of his loss. In doing so, he won the heart of the cleaner. She leaves the establishment on his arm.
A couple of weeks have passed. Marie Jeanne smells the morning breeze to be able to escape her so far mostly dreary existence and agrees - albeit a little reluctantly at first - to participate in the game initiated by her patron. Obediently, she married his brother pro forma and thus became Countess Dubarry. So that she can later win the king's favor, the count gives her the polish of behavior that is customary at court.
The influential Marshaless of Luxembourg gives a ball in her castle. Marie Jeanne is also one of the invited guests. As for political intrigues, the marshal is in cahoots with Count Dubarry; for she too hates the Duke of Choiseul and his conceited sister. No matter what the cost, this one must by no means become the successor of the Pompadour! When the marshal saw the right moment, she explained to Marie Jeanne that a messenger from the king would arrive today to pick her up so that she could have dinner with His Majesty. Marie Jeanne is all going too fast. She now refuses to play along. When she then also sees her former friend, the painter René, at the ball, something of the feelings she once harbored for him flickers again. With him, too, the fire of love does not seem to be completely extinguished. They come closer again. Suddenly, however, Marie Jeanne is told that the king is in possession of her portrait. She immediately believes that René passed it on to him. (In truth it was Count Dubarry!) Now the break between her and René is finally sealed. She says goodbye to him and is now ready to accept the king's invitation.
Louis XV shows himself delighted by the youthful beauty of Dubarry. He feels years younger and orders that Trianon Palace near Versailles be assigned to her as a residence.
Although the succession to the Pompadour has now actually been clarified, the Duke of Choiseul has still not given up the plan to heave his sister into this "office". He had the rumor spread at court that the Dubarry was only after the king's money; in truth, she still has a relationship with the painter René Lavallerie. The king refuses to believe that he was so mistaken in his feelings and asks for evidence. His Prime Minister promises to deliver them to him. In the park of Trianon Castle, he arranged a meeting between Marie Jeanne and the painter and assigned the king a place from which he could secretly overhear the conversation between the two. And what does he hear? Not a single word of love. Rather, the conversation sounds like two business partners ending their relationship.
The king is most pleased with what he has heard. He removes the Duke of Choiseul from his office as Prime Minister and banishes him from the court. Marie Jeanne has finally made it to the top rung of the career ladder: she has managed to become the most influential woman in France.
Musical highlights
- I give my heart only to him to whom I could be the highest
- The night beckons, love watches
- Like it or not
- How beautiful is everything since I found you
- I'm lucky today
- Two eyes look at you
- Yes, that's how she is, Dubarry, whoever saw her will never forget her
Film adaptations
- In 1951 the operetta was filmed under the direction of Georg Wildhagen , who - together with Franz Gribitz - was responsible for the script. The main roles were played by Sári Barabás , Mathieu Ahlersmeyer , Willy Fritsch , Albert Lieven and Walter Müller .
- A remake followed in 1975 for broadcast on the ZDFtheaterkanal . Under the direction of Werner Jacobs , Anni Peterka was responsible for the choreography, Sergiu Singer designed the production . Gail Robinson , Peter Pasetti , Barry McDaniel , Julia Migenes , Heinz Zednik and Wolfgang Preiss played and sang in the leading roles .
Web links
- Detailed instructions for action at PLANET VIENNA
- Complete text for the title melody "Yes, that's it, Dubarry"
- Photo from a performance of the State Theater on Gärtnerplatz ( Memento from December 17, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
Remarks
- ↑ The Dubarry . Operetta by Theo Mackeben based on music by Carl Millöcker. TV production, BR Germany 1975 ( Memento from August 25, 2007 in the Internet Archive ).