Prussian fairy tale
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Prussian fairy tale |
| Shape: | Ballet opera |
| Original language: | German |
| Music: | Boris Blacher |
| Libretto : | Heinz von Cramer |
| Premiere: | September 23, 1952 |
| Place of premiere: | Berlin |
| Playing time: | about 2 hours |
| Place and time of the action: | Berlin around 1900 |
| people | |
|
|
Prussian fairy tale is a ballet opera in six pictures by Boris Blacher . Heinz von Cramer wrote the libretto . The work had its world premiere on September 23, 1952 at the Städtisches Opernhaus Berlin . It skilfully varies the story of Friedrich Wilhelm Voigt, who had already inspired Carl Zuckmayer for his "German fairy tale" The Captain of Köpenick .
orchestra
Three flutes (also small flute), two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, a tuba, timpani, percussion, a harp, a celesta and strings. Eight wind instruments, a piano and a percussion are required for stage music.
action
The opera takes place in Berlin at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
First picture: City treasury
Wilhelm Fadenkreuz is a clerk at the city treasury. Because he succeeded in discovering embezzlement there, he was awarded the Royal Prussian Order of Civil Merit. That is why he is forgiven when he arrives late for work.
Suddenly a young lady enters the checkout room, whose beauty immediately casts a spell over Wilhelm Fadenkreuz. The clerk leaves his work behind, walks up to the lady and starts to hit her a little clumsily. The girl is so perplexed that she utters a loud scream. Wilhelm's bad luck, however, is that the beautiful woman is of all people Adelaide, the daughter of his chief boss. The fate is not long in coming: the mayor fires his employee crosshair without notice for indecent harassment.
Second picture: Good room
Auguste Fadhreuz comes into her parents' apartment very excited and reports that a young man had followed her for minutes on the street. He must be after her. Father and mother Crosshair are delighted with this news, they have been hoping for a long time that a man will finally be found for their daughter. A short time later the doorbell rings and the “pursuer” enters the parlor. He introduces himself as assessor black cock. August's parents couldn't imagine a better match for their daughter. What a stroke of luck! The elderly withdraw discreetly to leave the young couple alone. This immediately takes advantage of the hour and exchanges tenderness.
Father Crosshair was listening at the door. When he thought the moment was right, he went back into the room and asked the assessor to ask for his daughter's hand on the spot. The perplexed man has no choice but to celebrate his engagement with Auguste in no time.
The couple tries hard to pretend to be a decent, middle-class family for the distinguished son-in-law. Of course, it doesn't fit into the concept that the only son recently had to dishonorously quit his job. That is why Wilhelm is simply passed off as captain of the Prussian army. When the assessor says goodbye, he invites the whole family to a ball that his employer, Concordia Fire Insurance, will be holding the next day.
Third picture: Junk shop
Father and mother crosshairs have sworn their son to immediately look for a captain's uniform with which he can make an impression at the ball. Wilhelm finally finds what he is looking for in the second-hand shop. The uniform fits him perfectly. Suddenly he feels like a completely different person. He dreams how a soul is breathed into all the objects in the shop. The costumes begin to dance and show awe for the handsome captain.
Fourth image: ballroom
Assessor Birkhahn practiced a drama he had written with a few colleagues. This is to entertain the workforce before the actual ball begins. However, all actors are so excited that what can only go wrong goes wrong. Black grouse is scared. He already believes that he is embarrassing himself in front of his superiors, which would not exactly help his further career. But just at this moment the Fadenkreuz family enters the hall, first and foremost Wilhelm in his handsome captain's uniform. He immediately begins to clap vigorously. Wilhelm's demeanor has a contagious effect on the petty bourgeoisie belonging to the authorities; for what pleases a high-ranking military also has to please the common people. So Birkhahn's piece is still a success, albeit involuntarily.
Now the band plays to the dance. The younger people shake their legs; the older men and women sit together in small groups and spread gossip. Men in particular indulge in plenty of alcohol. In this mood they mock all possible dignitaries in the city, but especially the mayor. In the end, everyone decided to go to the head of the city, who was so shaken by their ridicule, and to confront him.
Fifth image: street
The day is just beginning to dawn when Wilhelm walks lonely down a street in the morning mist. A troop of soldiers comes towards him. Wilhelm involuntarily overcame the urge to play the captain. He orders the troops to follow him. The soldiers obediently march after the "captain".
Sixth picture: City treasury
The servants have gathered at the town hall and begin to work in silence. However, the quiet is soon over, because Wilhelm and his soldiers forcibly gain entry. The chief of the troop orders his men to confiscate the cash register and arrest the mayor. As soon as this has happened, the soldiers begin to dance polka with the female cleaning squadron.
Like two days before, Adelaide visits the city treasury again. She too is blinded by Wilhelm's uniform and feels flattered when he asks her to dance. But after just a few turns, Wilhelm's helmet comes off and falls to the ground. Now the cashier also notices what a shameful game he has fallen for, because the captain is none other than the recently dismissed clerk Wilhelm Fadenkreuz. He immediately calls the police.
Meanwhile, the lively visitors to the Concordia Ball have also found their way to the town hall. When assessor Birkhahn had to watch his future brother-in-law being arrested as a con man, he wanted to break off his engagement with Auguste. He sneaks away secretly.
On the one hand, the mayor takes a load off his heart when he realizes that he has not actually been arrested; on the other hand, however, he feels a little queasy because he now sees a terrible scandal looming over him. Fortunately, he has a clever wife. She persuades him to explain the whole thing for fun. In this way, the false captain not only escapes his punishment, he is even honored again into the circle of scribes.
Before the curtain falls, all those involved join in a cheerful round song .
music
In addition to charming solo chants - from the hinted aria to the contemporary song - the work also has large gripping ensemble scenes, which are underlaid with a dance-like lively music of Buffonese charm.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Cast and plot at Boosey & Hawkes music publisher , accessed May 4, 2020.
Web links
- The cast and plot for Boosey & Hawkes music publisher
- Action of Prussian tales at Opera Guide