Monika (operetta)
| Work data | |
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| Title: | Monika |
| Shape: | operetta |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Nico Dostal |
| Libretto : | Hermann Hermecke |
| Premiere: | October 3, 1937 |
| Place of premiere: | Stuttgart |
| Place and time of the action: | Black Forest and Northern Germany around 1935 |
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Monika is an operetta in three acts by Nico Dostal . The libretto comes from his main librettist Hermann Hermecke . It premiered on October 3, 1937 in Stuttgart .
orchestra
Two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, three horns, two trumpets, three trombones, a celesta, a harp, large percussion and strings
action
place and time
The first act takes place in a Black Forest village in Glottertal, the second in a city in Northern Germany and the third again in the Black Forest village. Everything happened at the time of the operetta premiere, that is, in the mid-1930s of the previous century.
first act
Image: In front of a farm
The sisters Mariele, Rosel and Monika Geislinger run the farm that their ten-year-old brother Peter inherited from their parents. Mariele, the eldest of the three sisters, is preparing for her wedding. But because there is not enough money for the trousseau, she asked the wealthy sun host for a loan. He is only too happy to grant Mariele's wish, as he has been keeping an eye on her sisters for a long time. Now he hopes that this will increase his chances of having either Rosel or Monika as a wife. He would even be willing to convert the loan into a gift if the hoped-for circumstance occurred.
Monika and Rosel, however, have different feelings. Monika raves about the medical student Horst-Dietrich Gundelach, and Rosel's heart is always warm when the village school teacher Anton Gruber is around.
Horst-Dietrich Gundelach came as a surprise from Freiburg on a short visit to Glottertal. Actually he just wants to say goodbye to the Geislinger siblings; because he has finished his studies and will soon be able to “Dr. med. ”. His parents bought him a doctor's practice in his hometown in northern Germany, which he should take over as soon as possible. When he talks undisturbed with Monika, the two of them crackle so much that they feel they are meant for each other. On the spur of the moment, Monika decides to move to Northern Germany with Horst-Dietrich. Your love for him is stronger than the love for your homeland.
Second act
Image: Hall in the character of a castle
Dr. med. Horst-Dietrich Gundelach has been running a flourishing medical practice in his hometown for a few weeks, but still lives - together with his girlfriend Monika - with his parents, the district administrator a. D. Alexander Gundelach and his wife Clementine. The latter wears the pants in the house and dominates the family. Although she welcomed the girl from the Black Forest warmly, she believes it is just a young flirtation between her son, who is sure to disappear soon. According to their plans, Horst-Dietrich should soon marry the daughter of the Kommerzienrat Marquardt. Vera would, of course, be much better suited to an academic like her son than the backwoodswoman from southern Germany. To be on the safe side, Clementine Gundelach prepares everything for an engagement party.
The mistress of the Gundelach house has invited to an elegant evening party. Suddenly an unexpected visitor from the Black Forest is announced: the village school teacher Anton Gruber, Monika's uncle Michael Geislinger and the Sonnenwirt. When he realized that he couldn't land with Rosel Geislinger, he decided without further ado to try his luck with Monika. The three do their best to persuade Monika to come home with them. Clementine now thinks it appropriate to announce her son's engagement to Vera Marquardt. Horst-Dietrich and Vera have to use all their strength to prevent this. After all, the two of them don't want to be engaged to each other. Vera loves the painter and sculptor Ralf Kröger. When Horst-Dietrich thought the opportunity had come, he passed Monika Geislinger as his bride.
Now events come thick and fast: the Sonnenwirt rises and insists that he has an older right to Monika. She must absolutely become his wife. Of course, he immediately brings his loan back into play for Monika's sister Mariele, which he will immediately demand back if the marriage does not take place. Monika doesn't know what to say. On the one hand, she is happy that her lover has confessed to her, but on the other hand, she wants to prevent the sun host from maintaining his claim. Horst Dietrich has anger on his face. He can't understand that Monika is just keeping silent. He leaves the hall disgruntled without saying goodbye. Monika sadly drives back to the Black Forest with the uninvited visitors.
Third act
Image: Bauernstube
Again a few weeks have passed. Monika is sad that she has not heard a single word from Horst-Dietrich the whole time. In reality, however, her lover wrote numerous letters to her, but all of them were intercepted by her uncle. In this way he wanted to ensure that the sun host's chances of getting Monika as a wife increased again. With his money, the Geislinger family would ultimately be able to lead a financially carefree life.
What Monika does not know either is that the teacher Gruber is in regular correspondence with Horst-Dietrich. Anton Gruber has not gone unnoticed that the two are made for each other. That's why he's doing everything he can to bring them back together.
The Sonnenwirt is getting tired of the delaying tactics. Now he wants to nail his head. He unequivocally gives Monika the choice of either going to the altar with him or repaying the loan. Monika is inclined to say yes to him. But at that moment the doctor appears, whom the sun host has appointed to get relief from his gout attacks. Monika can't believe her eyes: The medicus is none other than her beloved Horst-Dietrich! Teacher Gruber had informed him that a doctor's practice had become available in the Black Forest town, and Horst-Dietrich took the opportunity to take it over. It goes without saying that under these circumstances Monika no longer intends to marry the sun host. She would much rather be Horst-Dietrich a faithful, caring wife and a capable office hour helper.
music
The music to the built-in ballet Fastnacht in the Black Forest is particularly appealing . Of the song numbers are highlighted:
- A waltz for two
- One turn to the right, one turn to the left
- On your way to happiness
- Homeland, I will remember you forever
- Don't believe that I am faithless to you
- I am always yours