The Teufelskäthe

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Work data
Title: The Teufelskäthe
Original title: Čert a Káča
Shape: thoroughly composed
Original language: Czech
Music: Antonín Dvořák
Libretto : Adolf Little
Literary source: Božena Němcová - "The fairy tale of the stupid devil and the researching girl Käthe"
Premiere: November 23, 1899
Place of premiere: Národní divadlo , Prague
Playing time: about 2 hours
Place and time of the action: Bohemia and Hell , 19th century
people

The Teufelskäthe ( Czech : Čert a Káča ), op. 112 (B 201) is a three-act opera by Antonín Dvořák . It was created in 1898 and 1899 . Adolf Wenig wrote the libretto based on the “fairy tale of the stupid devil and the researchy girl Käthe” ​​by Božena Němcová . The premiere took place on November 23, 1899 in the Prague National Theater. The German premiere took place in Bremen in 1909 . The translation was done by Richard Batka . It was also performed in Vienna ( 1924 ), Katowice ( 1930 ), Oxford ( 1932 ) and Poznań ( 1934 ). After the Second World War , Wrocław , Ljubljana , Zagreb and Linz followed .

The opera's score was first published by Urbanek in Prague in 1900. Further editions were published by Orbis in 1951 and by Editio Supraphon in 1972.

action

first act

In an inn

Villagers celebrate the parish fair. But the shepherd Jirka also has to be at the administrator's service on Sunday. He leaves the threshing floor when Katinka, who is hated in the village for her loose mouth, enters her accompanied by her mother. The band accompanies him to his place of work and plays his favorite song for him.
Katinka now waits in vain to be asked to dance. Although she loves to dance for a lifetime, the young fellows give her a wide berth. She turns to her mother plaintively, but she only replies that she immediately said it would have been wiser to stay at home. Kathe doesn't like to hear that and loudly announces that she would dance with anyone, even if it were the devil himself.
The devil Marbuel promptly appears in the tavern, disguised as a hunter. He greets those present in a friendly manner and asks them about their relationship with the authorities in order to find out whether the souls of the administrator and the princess fall within his area of ​​responsibility. Then he thanks for the information given and sits down at the table with Kathe and her mother to drink a mug of beer. He ties up Katinka and invites her to drink. To the amusement of the bystanders, she flirts awkwardly with the dashing hunter and says that she would like to dance, but not with the naughty, mean fellows from her village. Marbuel then orders a solo from the musicians and begins to whirl Käthe around in the hall. After a short while, exhausted, she collapses on a chair and dreams of dancing like this all the time, whereupon Marbuel suggests that she accompany him to his home.
Jirka reappears with a scowl and bowed head. He tells how the Lord threw him out because he didn't like being accompanied to work with music. He wanted to punish him with the stick, which Jirka took from him and broke. Then he was chased to hell.
Meanwhile, Marbuel is trying to get Katinka to come along. After a brief persuasion, she agrees, the devil snatches them and they disappear into a hole in the ground from which sulphurous smoke rises.
The inn guests remain frozen in silence. Käthe's mother begins to moan, but Jirka agrees to bring her back.

Second act

In hell

The devils loudly amuse themselves in hell and praise the passion of the game and the ominous power of gold. Lucifer steps in and complains about the disturbance of the peace. Then he asks whether Marbuel has already returned home from catching souls on earth.
The goalkeeper says no, but there is already a knock on the gate of hell. Marbuel is let in, carrying Kathe on his back. She immediately complains that she has been betrayed and clings to the neck of her kidnapper, who she swears not to release until he has brought her back to earth. The other devils advise Marbuel to just throw the woman off and try to help him. But she wears a cross around her neck that protects her.
Then there is another knock at the gates of hell and Jirka enters. He comes to get Kathe back. But she refuses to come and demands that Marbuel carry her back. Lucifer has golden chains fetched, which are supposed to induce the stubborn to give in. But when she lets go of her tormentor, the devil disappears with the jewelry and she pursues him. The now redeemed Marbuel is asked by Lucifer about the results of his research. Lucifer then decides to give the steward a deadline, but to have the princess taken to hell.
Marbuel could do that on the way back when he brings Käthe back. She now comes back beaming with joy with the jewelery and inspects the interior design a little.
Meanwhile, Marbuel has developed a plan to get rid of Katinka. He asks Jirka if he would be willing to take her with him. But he also demands something from the hell gold. Marbuel advises him not to covet this, as it crumbles into withered leaves after leaving Hell. But he promises him another reward.
When there is a new moon, Marbuel will come into the castle and pretend to fetch the steward. Jirka is supposed to be in the castle at this point and pretend to say to him that it might be bad for him if he doesn't disappear immediately. If the plan succeeds, the steward will certainly show his protector appreciatively. But he should not try to save the princess, since her salvation was irrevocably forfeited. Jirka strikes.
Now Katinka is to be outwitted. You pretend to have a party and prepare everything for it. Käthe's lust for dancing awakens and Jirka turns her in a circle out of the gate of hell. Behind them the gate slams into the lock and all the devils, especially Marbuel, are happy to be rid of Katinka.

Third act

In the castle

The princess stands at the window lost in thought and looks out over the palace gardens. An oracle prophesied to her at a splendid festival that she would have fallen into hell, whereupon all the guests fled. Now she is alone and is confronted with her missteps, remorse torments her. She rings for the maid who is to comfort her. This tells her that the devil has entered the manager and wanted to drag him to hell. However, the shepherd saves him. He will now probably save her too and so they send for him.
As night falls, the princess' fear grows more and more. Then the marshal enters with two lackeys and reports to Jirka. At first he made reproaches to the high-born because of their cruel reign. The princess pleadingly promises to improve her behavior, if only she does not have to take the path to Hellfire. As proof of this, the shepherd demands the abolition of forced labor. The horror of the marshal and the courtiers is great, but the cheers of the crowd gathered outside about the princess's imminent journey to hell make them give in. She gives the marshal the order to announce to the crowd that the forced labor has been abolished with immediate effect. The cheers of the people inspire confidence.
Jirka brought Katinka with her, but she is still hidden. This time the betrayed does not want to be fobbed off with a pile of dried leaves. She is waiting in the next room and will grab Marbuel as soon as he enters the room.
When the light is extinguished, the devil is expected to arrive. Then the pale light turns blood-red, the window is pushed open and Marbuel enters the room. He asks the princess to prepare for the journey. Fearful, she falls on her knees, but then the door to the back room pops open and Jirka enters and recommends the devil to save himself as quickly as possible. Kathe is here and wants to catch him because he has not behaved properly towards her. Then the messenger of hell grips the fear and when Käthe appears in the door frame, he is already out of the window with one mighty leap.
The visibly relieved princess promises Jirka a ministerial post. For her help, Käthe receives the most beautiful little house in town. The people entering first pay homage to the now generous and compassionate princess and then celebrate the victory of the two courageous ones from their own ranks over the devil.

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