Zeltinger Himmelreich (Operetta)
Zeltinger Himmelreich , named after the famous vineyard of the place Zeltingen-Rachtig to the Mosel , is a 1955 first performed folk operetta to wine, love and home of Werner Stamm , every two years on the historic square in Zeltingen of around 100 amateur actors from the double municipality Zeltingen-Rachtig is performed.
action
Around 1780 the double community from the villages of Zeltingen and Rachtig, which are connected in love-hate relationship, belonged to the Electorate of Cologne . The sovereign asks the residents to pay tithe in the form of wine every year . In order to escape this duty, the councilors devise a ruse: They tell the elector that the wine this year is as acidic as vinegar. The elector then sends a messenger to check the wine. Vinzenz Schmitz, the messenger, quickly feels at home in Zeltingen-Rachtig and forgets his original assignment; he even falls in love with the Zeltinger winemaker Rosemarie. However, she loves the Rachtiger Franz - he is only a poor winemaker, and the mothers-in-law do not tolerate this relationship due to the contrast between Zeltingen and Rachtig. Franz decides to emigrate to Argentina . After seven years he returns a rich man and can marry his faithful lover.
people
- Vinzenz Schmitz, secretary of the electoral council in Cologne
- Franz, son of a winemaker from Rachtig
- Rosemarie, daughter of a winemaker from Zeltingen
- Harry, ward servant and spokesman
- Valencia Argentino
- Mother of Rosemarie
- Mother of Franz
- mayor
- three council members from Zeltingen
- two councilors from Rachtig
- Parish clerk
- Messenger from Cologne
- Night watchman
Performances
The operetta is performed every two years (uneven years) on the historic market square in Zeltingen in 6 performances.
Emergence
In early 1953, the community of Zeltingen-Rachtig announced a competition for a song that was supposed to promote local wine. Two proposals were submitted; The waltz Zeltinger Himmelreich (text: “Zeltinger Himmelreich, you are equal to heaven”) by the Solingen composer Werner Stamm. After the successful premiere at the Zeltingen Wine Fair in 1953, Mayor Karl Theis had the idea to write an operetta about the history of the place and an almost real event. He got in touch with the composer and suggested that he write a Singspiel based on the text of the poem Der Bote von Kur-Köln by Josef Moseler. Another model was probably the home game "Des Gesellen Kunibert Liebe und Träume", which the male choir 1874 eV Zeltingen performed on December 26, 1929 in the hall of the Hotel zur Post. Werner Stamm was enthusiastic about this idea and immediately set to work. In fact, it even became an operetta, which a community of amateur actors, musicians and members of local associations premiered on January 5, 1955 in the Old Hall of the Hotel Nicolay zur Post and performed again in 1956 and 1957. The advertising effect initially seemed less than desired, which is why the municipal council decided with a majority of one vote to discontinue the operetta for cost reasons. However, other activities and scenes from the operetta were still performed to promote wine. The last time was in 1969 for the opening of the German Wine Week in Cologne, with a scene from the operetta appearing on television for the first time.
As a result, there were repeated plans to revive the operetta; these were not implemented until 1977. Whitsun 1980 the operetta was performed again in a version revised by the composer. At first there were performances every year, then every two years since 1987. The performances in July 2005 were recorded and broadcast on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Südwest TV . At the 2009 Festival, the 100th performance since the restart in 1980 took place on August 1st.