Fatinitza

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Work data
Title: Fatinitza
Shape: operetta
Original language: German
Music: Franz von Suppè
Libretto : Camillo Walzel and Richard Genée (1876), Eduard Rogati and Herbert Witt (1950)
Premiere: January 5, 1876
Place of premiere: Vienna, Carltheater
Place and time of the action: Turkey and Odessa, 1853–1856
people
  • Count Timofey Kanchukoff, Bulgarian general
  • Princess Lydia, his niece ( soprano )
  • Izzet Pasha, Governor of Ipsala Fortress (speaking role)
  • Wladimir Michailoff, Bulgarian lieutenant ( tenor )
  • Julian von Golz, reporter for a German newspaper ( tenorbuffo )
  • Manja, a sutler ( soubrette )
  • Officers, soldiers, harem women, dancers, people ( choir , ballet and extras)

Fatinitza is an operetta in three acts by Franz von Suppè (music) based on a libretto by Camillo Walzel and Richard Genée , which premiered on January 5, 1876 at the Carltheater in Vienna. Eduard Rogati and Herbert Witt (text) and Bruno Uher (music) created a new version in 1950 for the Gärtnerplatz-Theater in Munich, which represents a deep intervention in the style of the original with partly more modern dance rhythms. However, this version has not caught on on the stage. Efforts have recently been made to restore the original version.

Henry Atwell Thomas: Suppé - Fatinitza (1879)

action

place and time

The operetta is set in Turkey and Odessa during the Crimean War (1853–1856).

first act

Image: Bulgarian encampment

Julian von Golz, a reporter for a German newspaper, visits his friend Vladimir Michailoff in the winter of 1877. He is a lieutenant in the Bulgarian troops that are currently besieging the Turkish fortress İpsala . Wladimir proudly tells his friend that he has turned his unhappy love affair, which he suffered last year, into a play:

1876: In Tirnowo, Vladimir meets the young princess Lydia and falls head over heels in love with her. For the girl too, Vladimir seems to be love at first sight. Both would like to get to know each other better, but Lydia is all too well looked after by her uncle, General Kanchukoff. Julian recommends that his friend try a trick. Disguised as the Turkish girl Fatinitza, he should apply to the noble family for the job of a housemaid. At first everything seems to be going wonderfully, because the general is delighted when the "Turkish woman" pays him a visit. But Vladimir soon notices that the general is only looking for the charms of the young "woman" and would like to conquer her. So it means to say goodbye immediately.

Back to the present: Wladimir's drama is to be premiered in the camp with him in the lead role. He has already slipped into Fatinitza's wardrobe and put on make-up when the general suddenly appears in the camp. At the sight of Fatinitza, his heart flares up again for the supposed Turkish woman. Fortunately for Wladimir, his beloved Lydia also visits the troupe and distracts her uncle for the time being. However, the situation becomes precarious when a Turkish patrol succeeds in penetrating the camp and kidnapping both Lydia and Fatinitza.

Second act

Image: In the Turkish fortress

The prisoners are brought before Izzet Pasha, the governor of Ipsala Fortress. He is immediately taken with Lydia's beauty and wants to lead her and her companion to his harem. Wladimir alias Fatinitza finds the opportunity to reveal his incognito to Lydia. The increasingly jealous harem ladies are relieved to note that the two newcomers are planning to flee. They are supported by the sutler Manja. When the Pasha then, beaming with joy, wants to pick up his new conquest for the Tête-á-Tête, he is disappointed to find that she and her companion have disappeared.

Soon afterwards Vladimir returns to the fortress, this time in his lieutenant's uniform and with heavily armed soldiers in tow. So cornered, the Pasha has no choice but to capitulate.

Third act

Image: In the house of Count Kantschukoff

A few weeks later, Vladimir makes a new attempt to end up with his lover. Together with Manja and Julian he visits them unannounced in Tirnowo. But what he hears now gives him a shock: at the behest of her uncle, Lydia is to marry one of his war comrades. The sutler comes up with the saving idea. She passes a letter to the general in which Fatinitza's visit is due. The features of the old warrior immediately brighten up. Instead of Fatinitza, however, Vladimir appears and pretends to be the brother of the Turkish girl. Under these circumstances, of course, he was welcomed with joy, especially since Kantschukoff saw a great resemblance to Fatinitza in the facial features. The general even lets himself be made to promise not to stand in the way of a marriage between Vladimir and Lydia if he, Vladimir, can get Fatinitza to shake hands with him. Nothing could be easier than that, thinks Vladimir, and quickly leaves. After a few minutes he is back at the door - disguised as Fatinitza. After she shakes hands with Kantschikoff, Vladimir identifies himself. The general is so amazed at this that he no longer has any objection to the engagement of the two young people.

Trivia

  • The wording of the Berlin hit song "You are crazy my child, you have to go to Berlin / where the crazy ones are / there you belong" is arbitrarily attributed to Suppè, who could possibly be named as a composer because the song of the hit song is from his “Fatinitza” march (march trio) originates from.

Musical highlights

Highlights (of the original version)

  • You whom I am never allowed to name . Romance. First act, fourth scene [Vladimir]
  • Reporter song (A reporter is a man) . First act, fifth scene. [Julian]
  • Sky bomb element! . Entree. First act, seventh scene. [Kantschukoff].
  • Reforms are necessary . Couplet. Second act, second scene [Izzet].
  • Every drinker is initially sober . Duettino. Act two, scene ninth [Izzet].
  • Fatinitza March
  • Forward with fresh courage ( March - Trio third act, fifth scene. [Wladimir, Lydia, Julian])

Musical highlights (of the Rogati-Witt-Uher arrangement)

  • What a shame, silver bells sound so bright (waltz)
  • Give me your hand
  • I'm crazy about you (duet, march) [was the popular march trio in the original version (1876)]

Discography (selection)

Aftermath

In 1953 the Fatinitzaweg in Vienna- Favoriten (10th district) was named after the operetta.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Volker Klotz: Operetta , p. 735, Hans-Dieter Roser : Franz von Suppé , p. 230, Reclam's operetta guide: “Fatinitza”, performance 2006 Lehár Festival Bad Ischl .
  2. ↑ Andreas Weigel : On the origin, authorship and reception history of a Berlin street seller (correction of a widespread misunderstanding).

Web links

Commons : Fatinitza  - collection of images, videos and audio files