Three men in the snow (operetta)

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Work data
Title: Three men in the snow
Shape: Revue operetta
Original language: German
Music: Konrad Koselleck , Christoph Israel , Benedikt Eichhorn and Thomas Pigor
Libretto : Thomas Pigor
Literary source: Roman Three men in the snow by Erich Kästner
Premiere: January 31, 2019
Place of premiere: State Theater on Gärtnerplatz , Munich
Playing time: 160 minutes
Place and time of the action: Berlin and Grand Hotel in the fictional Alpine town of Bruckbeuren , 1930s

Drei Men im Schnee is a revue operetta by Thomas Pigor based on the novel Drei Men im Schnee by Erich Kästner with music by Konrad Koselleck , Christoph Israel , Benedikt Eichhorn and Thomas Pigor. The play premiered on January 31, 2019 under the direction of Josef Ernst Köpplinger at the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz in Munich. It is a commission from the theater. Andreas Kowalewitz was the musical director, Konrad Koselleck was responsible for orchestration and Michael Alexander Rinz was responsible for the creative development .

content

Christmas 1932. On the morning of Christmas Eve, Eduard Tobler, disguised as Santa Claus, presents his employees and their children (Christmas party). At the same time he announces the winners of a competition - the unemployed advertising specialist Dr. Fritz Hagedorn and a Mr. Schulze, poste restante. Instead of the profit, Hagedorn would prefer a job but at least a cash payment of the profit, but he cannot win Tobler's daughter Hilde, whom he considers to be a subordinate employee (Miss Hilde). On the way home, Hagedorn informs his mother by phone that he has "only" won one trip to Tyrol to a luxury hotel (say thank you). In the evening in the villa of the industrialist Tobler, he reported to his daughter and the housekeeper Kunkel that the post-registered Schulze was present at the celebration. Schulze is himself (Schulze). He announces that, disguised as a poor man, he will travel to the luxury hotel and do his studies. He is accompanied by his valet Johann, who is supposed to pretend to be a rich shipowner. Hilde tries to convince her father to do business with the Emir of Bahrain , but does not get through. Kunkel informs the hotel about the eccentric millionaire so that he is treated appropriately despite disguise.

The Grandhotel Bruckbeuren in the Tyrolean Alps is the meeting point for European high society (Grandhotel Bruckbeuren) over New Year's Eve. The porter Polter (there's always a bit of a heart involved) confuses Schulze (Tobler) and Hagedorn. While the latter is quartered in the luxury suite, Schulze has to move into a girls' room under the roof. Hagedorn, who everyone thinks is a millionaire, is ensnared by the pushy Mrs Calabré (I adapt). Tobler / Schulze, on the other hand, who everyone considers a poor person, is called in for all sorts of low-level work, which is particularly uncomfortable for the valet Johann Kesselhuth. The ski instructor Toni Graswander gives a beginner ski course (skiing in the snow) while Schulze runs errands in the village. Schulze and Hagedorn befriend each other while they are sweeping the ice rink, while the valet Johann in the role of ship owner promises to get a job for Hagedorn in the Tobler factory. The sweeping culminates in the construction of the snowman Kasimir (Three Men in the Snow). Meanwhile, Kunkel learns that Ms. Calabré is approaching the supposed millionaire. Hilde and Kunkel arrive and are quartered as close relatives in the millionaire's suite. Kunkel, who is having a secret affair with Tobler, is jealous (Eduard, where are you?). In the evening the New Year's Eve ball rises (semifinals - the thirty-first of December) and everyone is looking forward to a happy 1933.

Everyone's hungover on New Year's morning. The ladies and gentlemen come from the wrong hotel rooms. The night must have been hot. Schulze vacuums the hallway, is discovered by Hilde and again confronted with the contract with the emir (Emir of Bahrain). Hilde, who now knows that Polter thinks the wrong man is the millionaire and has spent the night in his suite, confronts the porter. He recommends that she spend the morning on the Selva mountain until a room is ready for her (the mountain is empty). Kunkel, who all now call Claudia, must have spent an orgiastic night (good morning, Claudia). Hagedorn, who complains to Beppi that there were "ladies" in his suite, is also sent to Selva by the maids. In the gondola he meets Mrs. Calabré, who aggressively demands an erotic adventure from him (panaroma of sin). When he refuses, she throws his plans of inventions that she stole from Kesselhuth that evening from the gondola. Hawthorn sees his future dwindling. On the Wolkenstein, Hilde is excited about her father's stubbornness (that's the summit). The children from the village are also on the Wolkenstein and mix up the adults (snowball fight). Hagedorn and Hilde want to get out of the way again, but meet in the gondola. They finally have time to talk to each other. There is a thunderstorm, the cable car stops and the two get closer and dream of a happy, glamorous future in 10 years, the year 1943 (let's just ask Selva). Toni, who has spent the night in Kesselhuth's room, dreams of escaping the narrow mountain village, perhaps to distant Innsbruck. Johann wants to show him Berlin (In Berlin, on the beautiful Nollendorfplatz). Tobler is worried about Hilde who is stuck in the gondola. Kunkel feels the same way, and now Johann learns about the secret relationship between the captain of industry and the housekeeper. Hagedorn now raves about the subaltern to his friend Schulze. He should demand the consent to this love from Kasimir (come under the lantern, sweet little subaltern). In the end, all mistakes are cleared up, the couples come together and the emir receives the contract for refrigerators (final).

Ensemble of the first season (Munich, from January 31, 2019)

occupation

actor

reception

Markus Thiel from Münchner Merkur writes about the piece: “ Gärtnerplatz hasn't been so retro, so pleasantly dusty for a long time. "And" Everything is included, from the yodelling clarinet in the prelude to the waltz in gray minor, ragtime, swing, Ufa sound to the big personality number [...]. The instrumentation and arrangement is so tongue-in-cheek, so cheeky, so imaginative that conductor Andreas Kowalewitz and the constantly lively orchestra have an easy time ”.

The Süddeutsche Zeitung titled the premiere review with “ To melt away ” .

literature

Program Three Men in Snow , Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz (publisher), Munich 2019.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ "Three men in the snow" in the Gärtnerplatztheater: Großes Klang-Karo , Münchner Merkur from February 1, 2019 (accessed February 3, 2019)
  2. ↑ World premiere - Zum Dahinschmelzen , Süddeutsche Zeitung from February 1, 2019 (accessed on February 3, 2019)