Coming home from a foreign country

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Work data
Title: Coming home from a foreign country
Original title: Coming home from a foreign country
Shape: Singspiel
Original language: German
Music: Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
Libretto : Karl Klingemann
Premiere: December 26, 1829
Place of premiere: Berlin
Playing time: about an hour
Place and time of the action: German village in the 18th century
people
  • Schulz, mayor of the village and guardian of Lisbeth (bass)
  • His wife (old)
  • Hermann, son of both (tenor)
  • Lisbeth, foster daughter and ward of the mayor's wife (soprano)
  • Kauz, a seedy drifter (bass)
  • People from the village (choir)

The Homecoming from Foreign Countries ( MWV L 6 ) is a one-act Singspiel by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (op. 89). The composer himself described his work as a song game . Karl Klingemann wrote the libretto. The performance lasts approximately one hour.

General

It is an occasional work that the 20-year-old Mendelssohn composed for his parents' silver wedding. The premiere did not take place in any theater, but on December 26, 1829 in the garden hall of the Mendelsohn family estate in Berlin. The singers were members of the family. The vocal part that the composer had planned for the role of Schulz was problematic; because this should be embodied by his extremely unmusical brother-in-law. So he gave him only one note to sing, always the same (F). But he shouldn't always have met him either.

action

Place and time: a German village in the 18th century

When strangers were once again seen in the village trying to recruit young men for the army, the mayor's wife was stabbed in the heart. She remembers only too well how her own son Hermann decided to answer such a call six years ago. She has never heard from him since. Her foster daughter Lisbeth makes every effort to cheer her up, especially since her husband's 50th anniversary is just around the corner. But Lisbeth also lets herself be infected by the sadness of her foster mother, as she has fallen in love with Hermann over her ears and longs for his return home soon.

Suddenly Kauz, an extremely seedy figure, appears on the scene. He knows how to take advantage of every opportunity presented to him to get the best out of himself. Lisbeth thinks he is a recruiter, and he encourages her to believe. Of course, he too heard of the upcoming celebration, when the whole village is talking about it. He recommends Lisbeth to play the master of ceremonies at the party.

In the past, when Hermann and Lisbeth became lovers, Hermann often sang a song to his loved one that Lisbeth now believes he is hearing again, and indeed: the musician in front of the house is none other than Hermann! In the village he wanted to identify himself to his beloved first and not to his parents.

Kauz hears that the mayor's son has served in the Foreign Legion for many years . He senses the opportunity to take advantage of this circumstance by pretending to be Hermann at tomorrow's celebration. But if the plan is to succeed, he must first ensure that the musician who tries to get to Lisbeth disappears. He immediately goes to the mayor and warns him of an individual who is targeting his ward.

The night falls. Hermann prepares to perform a serenade for his Lisbeth. Suddenly Kauz appears, pretends to be a night watchman and wants to expel him from the village. But Hermann does not let himself be chased into the fenugreek so quickly. He rushes to the real night watchman, borrows a lantern, horn and spear from him, and now drives off owl.

The following morning, the villagers flock to the mayor's house. Kautz is also there and claims to be the returning son. Everyone is amazed that Hermann should have changed so much in six years. Fortunately, the real Hermann soon arrives and exposes the tramp as an impostor. The mayor and his wife are delighted that they have their son back with them. An engagement party will soon follow the anniversary celebration.

Sound carrier