The equality of the years

Data
Title:	The equality of the years
Genus:	Local posse in 4 departments
Original language:	German
Author:	Johann Nestroy
Literary source:	The Schlossmamsell by Karl Gottlieb Prätzel
Music:	Adolf Müller senior
Publishing year:	1833
Premiere:	October 8, 1834
Place of premiere:	Carl Theater , Vienna
Place and time of the action:	1 st division: The plot is partly in the small town Kobel Bach, partly in one, a mile off remote village before 2 th division: The action takes place in Kobel Bach 3 th division: The plot goes into the reign Steinthal before 4 th division: The plot goes into Kobel Bach, and that a year later than the 3 th division before
people
1 st division: Herr von Hirschwald , chief forest manager in Kobelsbach Ursula , his housekeeper Mamsell Regina Geldkatz , a capitalist, resident of Kobelsbach Madam Tritschtratsch , Madam Plappermühl , Madam Redhaus , residents of Kobelsbach Schladriwux , cabinet puller in Kobelsbach a bothe Miller , administrator of the Steinthal estate Eduard , son of the customs collector Strizl von Kobelsbach Feast , village judge Blow , village guard Geissl , a country coach Steffel , a waiter several dignitaries from Kobelsbach, several farmers 2 th division: Herr von Hirschwald Mamsell Regina Geldkatz Nanett , her maid Christoph Strizl , customs collector in Kobelsbach Crescentia , his wife Eduard , both son Zettermann , leather master, Crescentien's brother Schladriwux , cabinet puller Susanne , the toll collector's maid Notarius Kupferberg Madam gossip Madam Plappermühl Madam Redhaus several dignitaries from Kobelsbach including women 3 th division: Herr von Steinthal , a rich landowner Mrs. von Steinthal , his wife Miller , administrator in the service of Herr von Steinthal Amalie , his daughter Capitain Brand , a relative of Frau von Steinthal Corporal storm Margareth , the administrator's maid Hanns, Jacob , Bauernpurschen from the Steinthal domain Lise, Hannchen , peasant girls from the Steinthal estate Eduard Schladriwux Country people, soldiers 4 th division: Christoph Strizl , customs collector Crescentia , his wife Eduard , both son Susanne , maid of the toll collector Candidate black Schladriwux Mamsell Regin First, second, third, fourth carrier Mr. von Steinthal Mrs. von Steinthal Miller , steward Amalie , his daughter Herr von Hirschwald Ursula a boy, a pursche, two postillons, several servants and hunters of Herr von Steinthal

The equality of the years is a local posse in four departments by Johann Nestroy from 1833. It was first performed on October 8, 1834 at the Carl Theater in Vienna under the author's pseudonym Herr von Dreger . The reason for this late performance was the great success of the two pieces Der böse Geist Lumpacivagabundus and Robert der Teuxel, also composed in 1833 .

The original version of The Equality of the Years , a magical farce , was entitled The Engagement Feast in the Fairy Kingdom or The Equality of the Years and was not performed.

content

1 ^st division: The 29 ^th birthday and the country Kutscher

Regina celebrates her alleged 29th birthday, but her hoax is exposed. Hirschwald makes her a marriage proposal, which she rejects with reference to his age. Schladriwux does not want to marry Ursula either because she has become too old for him. A contract is concluded: If Regina and Schladriwux do not find a younger spouse within one year, they will accept Hirschwald and Ursula as spouses.

In the meantime Eduard tries to cheat a country coach, which fails, but Miller helps him out of the embarrassment. Miller is looking for Eduard to take him to the estate of Herr von Steinthal because he wants to thank him for looking after his son in a serious illness.

2 ^th division: robbery and engagement

The tax collector Schlagmayer discovers that 1000 guilders toll money has been stolen from his closet. The “helpful” neighbor Madame Regina offers to lend him the money, in return she demands the engagement to his son Eduard. He quickly agrees to take the rich bride, regardless of her age and appearance. The wedding is supposed to take place in a year, when Eduard has finished his studies. Both sign a marriage contract.

3 ^th division: love and despair

Eduard and Schladriwux live in the castle of Herr von Steinthal. There Eduard chases the peasant girl until he falls seriously in love with Amalie, but the marriage contract remains a serious obstacle. Schladriwux believes Amalie is in love with him because she asks him to stay eight more days because of Eduard. Herr von Steinthal, Capitain Brand and Miller are convinced that Regina herself orchestrated the theft and want to help Eduard. First they arrange for Schladriwux to be arrested as an alleged deserter in order to get rid of him, then they come up with a plan.

4 ^th division: Long noses and Heurathen

Eduard comes back home and pretends to be a wild robber captain. He takes Schladriwux and Regina prisoner through his "band of robbers". Regina promises the candidate Schwarz (in truth Steinthal's disguised son) her hand and an administrator position for the rescue. Now Eduard Schwarz calls for a duel, whereupon Regina confesses that she stole the money herself in order to get Eduard married. As a result, everything ends well: Eduard gets the managerial position in Steinthal and is allowed to marry Amalie. Hirschwald and Ursula refer to the written promises of Regina and Schladriwux, the two have to keep their promise and take their partners after the "equality of years".

Factory history

Nestroy stuck to the original with his work, the story Die Schlossmamsell by Karl Gottlieb Prätzel (1785–1861). However, he replaced the personal names appearing in the source with the "talking" names he loved, so the toll collector Laubmann became Strizl, the old maid Jeannette Fliederbusch became Mamsell Regina Geldkatz and the theology student Theodor became a law student Eduard because of the censorship. Was introduced the figure of the imaginary Schranckenziehers Schladriwux as a comic role and counterpart Eduard.

For the stage version, the name Schladriwux was changed to poodle head. Nestroy originally intended to play this role himself, but then took over that of Eduard and Schladriwux / Pudelkopf was portrayed by Wenzel Scholz , Friedrich Hopp played the customs collector Strizl, Ignaz Stahl the manager Miller, Elise Zöllner the maid Margareth. The play was performed a total of eighteen times, a (unsuccessful) resumption in 1839 in the theater in the Leopoldstadt only achieved three performances.

A manuscript in Nestroy's original manuscript is kept in the manuscript collection of the Vienna Library in the City Hall . It contains some heavily revised arches from the original magic posse, which are therefore missing in this manuscript (see the corresponding work history there ). The original score Adolf Müller - except for the robber choir from the 4 ^th division, 15 ^th Scene - can also be seen in the Vienna Library. The name Schladriwux has been corrected three times in poodle head, otherwise poodle head is already everywhere.

Differences between the versions

The engagement party in the fairy kingdom	The equality of the years
Eduard is an obedient and therefore innocent son who, out of pure parental love, feels obliged to conclude the unfortunate marriage contract	Eduard is a characterless swindler who is only interested in the money of his “bride”
His predicament is therefore oppressive and hopeless	he takes everything lightly until he falls in love
He mimes the idle student who loves to play and drink	he disguises himself as a rude robber captain who even shoots with a pistol in his parents' house
Mr. von Hirschwald always acts as a person of respect in the background	The ostensibly honest Herr von Hirschwald finds nothing in courting Frau Geldkatz for her wealth alone
A fairy-like framework serves the earthly actors as an “explanation” of all their wrongdoings	without magic, everything is portrayed more strongly as a reflection of human character weaknesses
The piece is a rather harmless magical farce around the basic theme only contemporaries should connect	the piece is much more aggressive and claims as a principle: "Ultimately everything revolves around the money"

Contemporary criticism

The contemporary criticism ranged from "passable" to rejection; the fashion newspaper saw it as the “spirit of the pubs and the lowest taverns” ”. Adolf Bäuerle's Wiener Theaterzeitung wrote on October 11, 1834 (p. 813 f.):

“If you can't say that the humor flashes against you with its pure, victorious light, the application of the existing good forces and the combination of things that the audience has already liked is far more praiseworthy at this farce than the new and present Original […] Meanwhile, as I said, the middle acts were better; the beginning and the end were received very mildly. "

The hiker was much more critical and already on October 10th one could read:

“On this concept [note: namely the advantage of the equality of the years at marriage] is based an action which in and of itself is too overwhelmed and confused, showing neither unity of place nor of time, thus by no means the main requirements of a dramatic product Has."

All critics, however, agreed in praise for the excellent actors, above all Wenzel Scholz and Johann Nestroy.

Later interpretations

Otto Rommel places this piece in the category of those magic pieces "in which spirits guide and help intervene in people's lives, so that the ghost scenes only form a framework for the scenes from real life" (quote). This also includes The Magic Journey into the Age of Knights , The Fairy Ball , The Evil Spirit Lumpacivagabundus, Müller, Coal Burners and Armchair Carriers and The Zwirn, Knieriem and Leim families . In them Nestroy had already shown a realism that no other Viennese folk poet of his time would have had.

Brukner / Rommel state that this work is a proof and example of how the farce, namely The Equality of the Years , emerged from the magic game in the Old Vienna Volkstheater , here the engagement party in the fairy kingdom . Regardless of a specific text source, the individual motifs of the plot of both pieces would be documented many times in the old Viennese antics.

literature

• Fritz Brukner / Otto Rommel: Johann Nestroy, Complete Works. Historical-critical complete edition, second volume, Verlag von Anton Schroll & Co., Vienna 1924.
• Friedrich Walla (Ed.): Johann Nestroy, Pieces 7 / I. In: Jürgen Hein, Johann Hüttner : Johann Nestroy, Complete Works, Historical-Critical Edition. Jugend und Volk, Vienna 1987, ISBN 3-7141-6905-2 .

Web links

• Content: The equality of the years on nestroy.at

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Money cat = purse, money belt
2. ↑ Schladriwux = formerly a student drink (Franz Seraph Hügel: Der Wiener Dialekt. Lexikon der Wiener Volkssprache. 1873)
3. ↑ Strizl, probably from the Viennese Strizzi = rascal, reckless lad; hardly any of the Striezel yeast pastries
4. ^ Wachter = local policeman
5. ↑ Lederer = tanner
6. ↑ at least a crime threatened with the death penalty!
7. ^ Text in: Friedrich Walla: Johann Nestroy, Pieces 7 / I. Pp. 233-266.
8. ↑ Friedrich Walla: Weinberl, Knieriem and consorts: names no sound and smoke. In: Nestroyana, sheets of the International Nestroy Society 6th International Nestroy Society, 1986, pp. 79-89.
9. ↑ Facsimile of the theater slip for the world premiere in: Friedrich Walla: Johann Nestroy, Pieces 7 / I. Pp. 182-183.
10. ↑ Manuscript collection in the Vienna City Hall, call number IN 33.325
11. ↑ Music collection of the Vienna Library in the City Hall, call number MH 685
12. ^ Friedrich Walla: Johann Nestroy, Pieces 7 / I. Pp. 193-195. (for the entire chapter differences )
13. ^ Friedrich Walla: Johann Nestroy, Pieces 7 / I. Pp. 182-183.
14. ^ Otto Rommel: Nestroy's works, selection in two parts, Golden Classics Library, German publishing house Bong & Co., Berlin / Leipzig / Vienna / Stuttgart 1908, p. XXVI.
15. ^ Brukner / Rommel: Johann Nestroy, Complete Works. Pp. 730, 745.