The engagement by the lantern
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The engagement by the lantern |
| Original title: | Le Mariage aux Lanternes |
| Shape: | opérette-bouffe |
| Original language: | French |
| Music: | Jacques Offenbach |
| Libretto : | Michel Carré and Léon Battu |
| Literary source: | no |
| Premiere: | October 10, 1857 |
| Place of premiere: | Paris |
| Playing time: | about 40 minutes |
| Place and time of the action: | In a village around 1850 |
| people | |
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(in the German version)
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The engagement at the lantern (in the original: Le Mariage aux Lanternes ) is a French operetta in one act by Jacques Offenbach based on a libretto by Michel Carré and Léon Battu. It premiered on October 10, 1857 in Offenbach's own small theater Bouffes-Parisiens in Paris.
orchestra
Two flutes, an oboe, two clarinets, a bassoon, two horns, two pistons, a trombone, drums and strings
action
The fact that his uncle has appointed him the guardian of his orphaned cousin Liese does not make the young farmer Peter happy at all; because he is madly in love with her. As a guardian, he doesn't dare to confess his love to her. The responsibility rests so heavily on him that he often adopts a rather harsh tone towards Liese, without wanting to. Liese, in turn, feels more than just sympathy for her guardian, but she doesn't dare to show him either.
Actually, the uncle only appointed his nephew as a guardian because he did not miss what the two felt about each other. He had hoped that that way everything would turn out for the best. But he is not happy that his plan did exactly the opposite. So he decides to play fate.
Peter receives a letter. The unknown sender informs him that he will find a great treasure when he comes to the big oak tree as soon as the church bell rings in for evening. The rumor quickly spreads in the village that the young farmer is facing a rich inheritance. The two peasant women Annemarie and Catherine, both young widows, also get wind of it. Each tries, more or less brazenly, to wrap Peter around their finger. He can only evade them with great difficulty.
When the evening bell rings, Peter comes to the large oak tree. To his astonishment, his cousin Liese also showed up there, because she, too, had been asked to come here by letter from a stranger in order to find a treasure too. The two young people understand the hint of fate. When the night watchman comes, they kiss each other by the light of his lantern.