Queen of a night
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Queen of a night |
| Shape: | operetta |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Will Meisel |
| Libretto : | Just shy and serious Nebhut |
| Premiere: | November 13, 1943 |
| Place of premiere: | Berlin |
| Place and time of the action: | An island in the Mediterranean around 1940 |
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Queen of a Night is an operetta in three acts with music by Will Meisel . Just Scheu and Ernst Nebhut wrote the libretto together . The work had its world premiere on November 13, 1943 in Berlin.
orchestra
Two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets or saxophones , two bassoons, three horns, two trumpets, three trombones, a harp, a piano, large percussion and strings
action
The operetta is set on an island in the Mediterranean at the beginning of the 1940s.
At the behest of his uncle, the Hereditary Duke Alexander von Nowara-Liechtenstein, Duke Ferdinand von Nowara-Liechtenstein is supposed to marry Princess Marie-Luise von Este-Parma because this would be conducive to the state of affairs. Ferdinand, however, cannot get used to this idea at all. In anger, he leaves his father's castle and flees to a dream island in the Mediterranean. There he finds accommodation in a hotel that only people with plenty of money can afford. At the moment, however, Ferdinand has nothing to show, because he left both his money and his papers at home.
After a short time, the hotel manager finds out about the Duke. When he notices how this “impostor” dares to turn the head of Princess Marie-Luise, who is also staying in the hotel, his collar bursts. He warns the beautiful noblewoman about the deceiver. However, this has long since fallen for the charming gentleman. She's just thirsting to be seduced by him. In order to impress him, she pretended to reveal the secret that she was the infamous "Diamond Dolly" and that she was hiding from the police here in the hotel. Her specialty is the theft of valuable stones. You also know in which hotel room one is located. And indeed: just a few minutes later, she appears with a magnificent emerald. (This actually belongs to Marie-Luise's partner Julia Zigi, and of course the theft was only staged!)
Hereditary Duke Alexander von Nowara-Liechtenstein receives the Princess of Este-Parma in his castle, whom he intended for his nephew Ferdinand. When he hears from her which comedy she was playing in the luxury hotel, he is horrified. No impostor there took her on the glue; the young man is actually the Duke of Nowara-Liechtenstein! What a messed up situation!
After some confusion, Ferdinand manages to untie the Gordian knot, and at the end of the operetta the two lovers, who have been betrothed against their will, become a couple after all.
Songs
- The whole world belongs to a beautiful woman
- Everything for me
- Something happens today
- One day the day will come
- Every rose speaks of love
- Today I embrace life
- The great passion comes enigmatically overnight
- Couldn't you get used to me?
- I would like to be your gentleman for tonight
- There can be no more spring
filming
Under the direction of Kurt Hoffmann , the operetta was filmed in 1951 under the title Queen of a Night . The title of the stage work was retained. The main roles were played by Ilse Werner, Hans Holt, Georg Thomalla, Jeanette Schultze, Ethel Reschke, Käthe Haack, Kurt Pratsch-Kaufmann, Erich Fiedler, Willi Rose, Walter Gross, Paul Westermeier and Paul Heidemann. The lexicon of international films judges: “Two noble young people are engaged to each other against their will and still find pleasure in each other. With its operetta plot and borrowings from revue and cabaret (Willi Schaeffer), the film offers light entertainment, a little above average. "