The sprung island

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Work data
Title: The sprung island
Shape: operetta
Original language: German
Music: Eduard Erdmann (1896–1958)
Libretto : Gustav Specht (1885–1956)
people

The sprung island is an operetta in three acts, which was composed by Eduard Erdmann and written by Gustav Specht. Together with the painter Hans Holtorf , the two worked from 1924 to 1927 on the piece, which has not yet been performed.

action

Introduzione

A revue troupe headed by the colored illusionist and juggler Francisco Bosco is on board the pleasure liner "Caroline" on the Pacific Ocean. In his “deep-sea laboratory”, the hulking sea god Poseidon hits the “earthquake lever” with Mela Flips, his fish-tailed lover, in Techtelmechtel. This triggers a huge seaquake. An island anchored to the seabed breaks loose, becomes a "sprung island" and rises to the surface, dragging Mela with it. The “Caroline” is shipwrecked in the raging sea and stranded on the island.

1st act

Bosco climbs onto the beach singing. At first he imagines himself to be the only survivor of the shipwreck and monologues - finally unmarried from his mother-in-law - of a “wonderful shipwreck”. But Leontine, Bosco's mother-in-law and lion tamer, also survived. Now other members of the troop have returned and are planning to set up their homes in coral arbors.

Enoch Moloch, a big capitalist, flies in with his entourage. He smells a deal and throws himself on to the discoverer and consequently master of the island by denying Bosco's privileges. In view of the overwhelming power, he appears to be accepting the contract offer, but has revanchist thoughts.

Caro, obviously taken with Mela, also takes the stage and now claims control of the island. There is a dispute over dominance on the island. Mela takes sides with Caro, who is to be chosen as the puppet king. Bosco becomes director of Moloch's planned Luna Park. Despite all the complications and disputes, Moloch continues to rule.

Poseidon appears angry and sees Moloch as his opponent in the dispute over the island. However, Poseidon's claims to power are not recognized by anyone.

Bosco offers Poseidon to use magic tricks to bring his island back to the bottom of the sea and Mela throws herself in love at the neck of the "magician". Moloch owns the "coup leader" who once belonged to Poseidon, which gives him absolute power over the island and its inhabitants. Poseidon is completely dissatisfied with this, but then submits to Moloch, who humiliates him.

Bosco and Mela announce their engagement. Poseidon then takes advantage of this situation by sending Mela to get him the "coup leader". However, Bosco remains hostage with Poseidon.

Nini is sighted by Moloch's companions and thus announced.

2nd act

In Poseidon's deep-sea laboratory on the ocean floor, Poseidon and Leontine sit together. Bosco appears in the shape of an octopus. Poseidon is fainted because he cannot move the "earthquake lever" without the "coup bar". Nini, who is also part of the vaudeville troupe, appears. Immediately there is jealousy among the ladies and hostilities are exchanged. Nini seeks refuge with Poseidon because she is afraid of Moloch.

Mela appears and reports on her failed attempt to distract Moloch from the "coup leader" with her charms. Bosco, whose fiancée Mela was sent away by Poseidon to try again to get the "coup leader", is annoyed and wants to have fun with the seahorses. Leontine is sent off by Poseidon to find out what is happening on the island. While she disappears, a diving bell appears, from which Caro climbs and delivers orders from Moloch. Poseidon follows these orders without real resistance. Nini is said to come to the surface as the "main war criminal". Also, Caro's upcoming coronation is announced.

Mela and Bosco have a heated argument due to a lack of mutual trust. Mela hands Poseidon the "coup arrester", which Moloch was able to steal inconspicuously. Since Mela has done her job, the wedding is planned and Bosco is allowed to transform into a shredded fish.

Leontine appears at the wedding with a bob haircut and is then belittled by everyone present.

As a conclusion, the pact is sealed for all eternity. The "earthquake lever" is solemnly set in motion and you can hear the crunch of the island, but there is no reaction. The stage workers and the director protest that the stage should not be dismantled. You can hear Moloch's scornful laughter and Poseidon threatens Melan to rob her of her marine life and to turn her into a human being, because she has let herself be deceived.

3rd act

Preparations for the coronation ceremony are in full swing on the beach of the sprung island. Moloch arrives and tells Mela that he knows about the conspiracy against himself and the order to get the "coup leader". Bosco enters the scene as master of ceremonies and reads the guest list in front of Moloch. Caro announces Schnesebeck, but does not mention her acquaintance. Many guests arrive on the steamer, whereupon Moloch is happy about the economic success he has achieved. General von Schnesebeck arrives and is greeted by Caro as an old friend. It quickly becomes apparent that Schnesebeck wants to get rid of Moloch and that he wants to seize power with the help of Caro.

The existing tensions between the women are intensifying with the question of who will become Caro's queen. Caro then comes out as a polygamist by announcing that he will take Mela on his right hand, Nini on his left hand and Leontine on his hindquarters as queen.

During Caro's coronation ceremony, Schnesebeck attacks Moloch with his battery. He realizes that he has no chance, gives Mela the “coup leader” and flees in his plane. Mela jumps into the water and operates the "earthquake lever". Schnesebeck, Caro, Leontine, Nini and all the coronation guests retreat to the steamer. The island disappears into the sea again.

Work history

In 1924 Eduard Erdmann and his friend Ernst Krenek made a bet with their composition teacher Arthur Schnabel that they could compose a successful operetta. Although the latter advised them against it, they both got to work. Erdmann teamed up with the Baltic German journalist Gustav Specht. After Specht had already worked on the text in the spring of 1925, the two met in the summer for their first long cooperation in Langballigau , where Erdmann owned a summer house with his wife Irene. Many song texts were written in Erdmann's pavilion there. The artist friend Hans Holtorf also immortalized the characters from the operetta on the walls of the pavilion, which has been a listed building since 2013. Erdmann had completed the composition of the operetta in the spring of 1927, but Specht kept postponing the completion of the textbook. When Krenek also sharply criticized the textbook, Erdmann withdrew from the project in November 1927. Irene Erdmann's attempt to send a revised version to Ernst Krenek Musikverlagen a few years later also failed. It was not until June 2015 that excerpts of the first concert presentation took place on the Flensburg Museum Mountain under the artistic direction of the conductor and pianist Vladimir Stoupel.

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