Franz Schubert (operetta)
Franz Schubert is aone-act operetta by Franz von Suppè . The libretto is by Hans Max.
With this operetta, Suppè implemented a concept that had already been tried and tested with Mozart , of arranging the music of a famous composer for a libretto with biographical details of the respective artist. For Mozart, this procedure was still applied in 1854, in the pre-operetta period, to a so-called artist's life picture in four acts. With Schubert the result was called "comical original song game". In the score, in which Suppé meticulously noted Schubert's original music, he described the work as an "operetta". With this, Suppé brought the great romantic to the stage as an operetta figure 53 years before Heinrich Berté's Dreimäderlhaus .
content
The poet Mayrhofer, the court opera singer Vogl, the Regenschori (choir director) Starker and the music dealer Cappi come to Hildrichsmühle to visit their friend Franz Schubert, who has buried himself here in this loneliness since he left the count's house in Hungary. He seems unhappy in love. The gentlemen want to persuade him to come back to Vienna. Cappi wants to print his music, Starker wants to promote him to the organist in Vienna. The dance master Gruber also comes and rants about his wonderful experiences during the dance events in the Sperl. He would like to be able to compose waltzes like Schubert, but he couldn't finish waltzes like this one. That's why he came here to persuade Schubert to quit writing songs and only compose waltzes. Then he would make a contract with him and be a made man.
When Schubert finally comes back from a walk, his friends urge him to return to Vienna, especially since his song about “Erlkönig” is causing a sensation there. Schubert asks about the other compositions, e.g. B. after the "ghosts above the water", whereupon Mayrhofer says that they could not have been kept afloat. While Schubert is still pondering this failure, the friends argue whether he should write waltzes or masses instead of songs. At Schubert's request, Mayrhofer brought the Müllerlieder with him and hopes that they will be just as successful as that of “hiking”, which already lives in the mouths of the people. When the friends notice that Schubert is getting deeper and deeper into the lyrics, they discreetly withdraw.
Schubert begins to read the text aloud and develops the first melodies for the songs, which are illustrated in a melodrama. He has already sung the beginning of the song “Impatience” (“I liked to cut it into every bark”), but becomes impatient himself because he cannot find the end.
The miller's assistant Niklas is in love with the miller's daughter Marie, but is in doubt whether she will return his love, especially since the hunter Torner sneaks around her. Parallel to Schubert's attempts at composing, he serenades Marie, to which she responds after initial hesitation.
Niklas, who had already served Schubert as a hiking guide, tells him about his problems. Today the hunter would come over again to talk to Marie; he would like to secretly watch the two of them - but today he would have strict duty in the mill. Schubert offers to replace him in the mill and tells him to bring him his jacket, apron and pointed cap.
The friends come back with a letter to Schubert. It is from Hungary, sealed with a Count's Pechier coat of arms. Schubert opens it, reads and immediately reports to his friends: a flattering invitation that she wants to see him again and hear his songs; she looks forward to her friend and master like a child. Schubert wants to hug the whole world and give it away, whereupon the friends consider the opportunity to ask him to return to Vienna. Since the last concert his compositions had finally come into their own and soon they would become the common property of the German nation. Schubert promises to come with them. He's hardly alone again when he dreams of seeing the Hungarian letter writer again. The car would come today to bring it to her.
Niklas comes to get Schubert to move things. Schubert, who hadn't even thought of his promise, now has other things on his mind than Niklas in the mill. So it is a good thing that Ferdinand Gruber shows up to ask the master whether he agrees with the contract he has drawn up. Instead, Schubert offers him his German Dances for a performance, but only if he does him the favor of slipping into Niklas' role.
The hunter Torner uses the absence of the miller master to risk a storm on the miller needle, but gets a basket from them. Niklas watches the whole scene from a tree and is happy about Marie's behavior, about which the hunter is so angry that he wants to give his competitor a lesson. He sends his friends into the house to get Niklas out. After a short time they come back with the disguised Gruber instead. Torner orders his comrades to dip the supposed Niklas into the Mühlbach, when the real Niklas interferes and calls to the boys to leave Herr Schubert alone.
A servant enters and asks for Herr Schubert; Torner refers to Gruber. The astonished servant reports to Gruber alias Schubert, disguised as a miller, that he is coming on behalf of his Excellency and has the order to pick him up.
Torner and his men now penetrate the real Niklas. Hildrich comes back from a hike, blissful with wine. At first, Torner uses the situation to ask Hildrich for his daughter's hand, but he refuses; his daughter has to marry a miller. Niklas then asks to give him the daughter. Schubert arrives with his friends and announces that he will return to Vienna with them. When Niklas asked why he hadn't gone with the extra post, Schubert replied that he had been waiting for this the whole time, but it hadn't come. Now he's driving with his friends. The miller's boys bring the Gruber back in miller's clothes. Gruber explains that instead of Schubert they wanted to kidnap him by extra mail, but the miller's boys noticed him and stopped the car. This is now standing there and waiting for Schubert. Schubert does not want to leave this place before the holy peace has returned and therefore asks the master Hildrich for Niklas' hand for his daughter, who finally agrees.
(It remains to be seen whether Schubert will return to Vienna or take the extra post to Hungary).
literature
- Hans-Dieter Roser : Franz von Suppé: Work and Life. Edition Steinbauer, Vienna 2007, ISBN 978-3-902494-22-1 .
- Hans Max: Franz Schubert, libretto. Wallershaus'schen Buchhandlung publishing house, Vienna 1879