“ The Duchess of Chicago ” (or “ Duchess of Chicago ”, German: Die Herzogin von Chicago ) is an operetta in two acts, with a prologue and epilogue, by the Austro-Hungarian composer Imre Kalman . The authors of the libretto are Julius Brammer and Alfred Grunwald .
| Operetta | |
| Duchess of Chicago | |
|---|---|
| him. Die Herzogin von Chicago | |
| Composer | |
| Librettist | and |
| Tongue libretto | |
| Genre | |
| Action | 2 |
| Year of creation | 1928 |
| First production | April 5, 1928 |
| First Place | An der Win , Vienna |
The premiere of the operetta took place at the Vienna An der Wien Theater on April 5, 1928 and was successful; the performance withstood 372 performances. The main characters were Hubert Mariska and Rita Georg, among 11 statisticians was Kalman's future wife Vera Makinskaya [1] [2] . For some time, the operetta was put in the United States and other countries, after the war this operetta was forgotten until 1997, when interest in it resumed, in Chicago, Vienna [3] , Petersburg, Yekaterinburg [4] , in many other countries and cities new performances and recordings have been created.
The music of the “Duchess of Chicago”, as well as the previous “ Bayaderes ” (1921), reflects the author’s creative search, the desire to combine traditional lyrical Viennese music with the popular dance of the first quarter of the 20th century - jazz , charleston , foxtrot , American musical . Kalman was an enthusiastic admirer of jazz; in the same 1928, when he wrote The Duchess of Chicago, an American guest, George Gershwin , lived in Kalman's house. “The Duchess of Chicago” is considered the “most dancing” operetta of Kalman [5] . Present, however, are the usual Hungarian motives for Kalman.
Content
Key Actors
The operetta libretto is a political satire - both on American and European realities of the 1920s; the latter are assigned to the Eastern European countries with the fictitious names of Sylvarius and Moreni [1] .
| character `s name | In original | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| King Sylvarius Pankrats XXVII | Pankraz XXVII von Sylvaria | tenor |
| Prince Sandor Boris, heir to the throne of Sylvaria | Sandor Boris | lyric tenor |
| Miss Mary Lloyd, Chicago Millionaire | Miss mary lloyd | lyrical soprano |
| Princess Morninga Rosemary Sonya | Rosemarie sonjuschka | soprano |
| James Bondi, Secretary Mary | James bondy | tenor buffo |
| Count Boyazovich, Minister of Finance of Sylvaria | Bojazowitsch | tenor |
| Count Negresco, adjutant of Sandor | Negresco | colloquial |
| Benjamin Lloyd, father of Mary | Benjamin lloyd | colloquial |
| Guests, officers, girls, musicians, trumpeters, servants | ||
Story
Chicago millionaire Miss Mary Lloyd, a member of the Club of Eccentric Young Ladies, made a bet with her friends at the club - which of them will be able to buy the most expensive thing in Europe. Meanwhile, in the completely bankrupt European state of Sylvaria, Prince Sandor Boris and his ministers are trying to maintain peace in the kingdom, and there is no better means for this than a royal wedding. The prince enters into a prenuptial agreement with his longtime friend Rosemary, the princess of the neighboring country of Morenia, although there is no love between them. The king himself spends time in Monte Carlo and Paris.
During the betting, Mary arrives in Budapest, where she meets an elegant young man and takes him for a prince. In fact, it was the adjutant of the Prince Negresco, and the real prince posed as an adjutant. She likes the adjutant more, although Sandor prefers Viennese waltzes and Mary prefers Charleston . Arriving at the Silvaria, Mary buys the royal palace and is shocked to find out the true identity of her friend, a false adjutant. She decides that having bought the palace, she also got a prince complete with him.
Bondi and the ex-bride of Prince Rosemary realize that they are in love, and Mary and the prince make a similar discovery (despite disagreements about dancing). But when the prince reads the letter that Mary wrote to her father, he is offended by the impression that she just buys it, and returns to her previous marriage plans. But after the news that Bondi and Princess Rosemary had escaped, he finds himself at a standstill. The returning king is trying to rectify the situation, but Mary rejects his courtship.
An American producer appears who announces that he has decided to make a grand film about Mary and the Prince, but demands a happy romantic ending. All participants are relieved to agree. The issue of dancing (waltz or charleston) also ended in a compromise - everyone is dancing the foxtrot [1] .
Musical numbers
Prologue
- 1. Introduction (Chorus)
- Charleston, Charleston tanzt man heut!
- 1a. Stage music
- 1b. Stage Music (Jazz-Parody)
- 2. Song (Song of Vienna) (Prinz, Officers, Chorus)
- Verse Das Wienerlied, so süß und weich ist wie ein Gruß von Himmelreich,
- Refrain Wiener Musik, Wiener Musik konntest die Welt einst betönen!
- 2a. Stage music
- 3. Ensemble (Mary, Chorus)
- Verse Mary, so sprach mein Papa, Mary, wir haben es ja!
- Refrain Wir Ladies aus Amerika sind auch verliebt so hie und da!
- 4. Finale (Mary, Prinz, Primas, Officers, Chorus)
- Verse Bobby, jetzt spiel 'mir was auf!
- Verse Ein Wienerlied so süβ und weich ist wie ein Gruß von Himmelreich;
- Verse Siegreich blieb wieder der Charleston!
- Refrain Yazz, das ist die Mode, die Methode, immer nur Yazz,
- Verse Hör 'ich deine Geige wieder, denk' ich an die alten Lieder,
- Refrain Das war'n noch Zeiten!
Act I
- 4a. Entr'acte
- 5. Hymn (Chorus)
- Machtvoll braust der Heimat Lied dir zu Ehren heut '!
- 5a. March Song (Prinz, Children)
- Verse Herr Erbprinz, wir stellen gehorsamst uns vor!
- Refrain Wenn die Garde schneidig durch die Stadt marschiert,
- 6. Duet (Mary, Bondy)
- Verse Lichtreklamen, Riesenlettern abends auf-und abwärtsklettern,
- Refrain Und in Chicago, wissen sie, was sich da tut!
- 7. Duet (Rosemarie, Prinz)
- Verse Wärest du kein Prinzeßchen, ein Mädel aus kleinem Gäβchen,
- Refrain O Ros'marie, o Ros'marie!
- 8. Musical Scene and Duet (Mary, Prinz)
- Vienna Musik, Vienna Musik!
- Verse Komm, Prinzchen, komm her, o du gefällst mir, du gefällst mir sehr!
- Refrain Armer Prinz, armer Prinz, tust mir leid!
- 9. Duet (Rosemarie, Bondy)
- Verse Wenn ich eine kleine Frau hätt, ach die hätt es wirklich gut.
- Refrain Ach das wär 'fein, Mister Bondy! Das wär 'gut, Mister Bondy!
- 10. Finale I (Mary, Prinz, Bondy, Bojazowitsch, Perolin,
- Negresco, Officers, Minister, Chorus)
- Wie sich's schickt von feinen Leuten,
Act II
- 10a. Entr'acte
- 11a. Introduction
- 11b. Song and Dance (Mary)
- Verse Mary kam vom gold'nen Strande, aus dem fernen Wunderlande,
- Refrain Ein kleiner Slowfox mit Mary bei Cocktail und Sherry, das wär so mein Ideal!
- 12. Duet (Mary, Prinz)
- Verse Der Walzer ist des Lebens schönste Melodie,
- Refrain Den Walzer hat der Herrgott für Verliebte nur er dacht,
- 13. Ensemble (Mary, Friends, Mister Lloyd, Chorus)
- Refrain Wir Ladies aus der neuen Welt,
- 14. Duet (Rosemarie, Bondy)
- Verse Warum fühl 'ich mich so kreuzfidel und so froh,
- Refrain Ja, im Himmel spielt auch schon die Jazzband, alle Englein tanzen Fox!
- 15. Duet (Mary, Prinz)
- Verse Wenn der Sonne Flammenschein abends am Missouri glüht,
- Refrain Komm in mein kleines Liebesboot, du ... Rose der Prairie!
- 16. Finale II (Mary, Friends, Rosemarie, Prinz,
- Bondy, Mister Lloyd, Bojazowitsch,
- Perolin, Officers, Chorus)
- Seid umschlungen ihr Millionen, heute gibt's noch Sensationen,
Epilogue
- 16a. Entr'acte
- 16b. Introduction (Chorus)
- Charleston, Charleston Tanzt die Welt,
- 16c. Reprise (Prinz)
- Refrain Das war'n noch Zeiten!
- Refrain Wiener Musik, Wiener Musik, konntest die Welt einst betören ...
- Refrain Komm, in mein kleines Liebesboot, du ... Rose der Prairie!
- 17. Duet (Mary, Pankraz)
- Verse Oh, Majestät, ich bin entzückt,
- Refrain Voulez vous Hoppsassachen, voulez vous mit Papachen
- 18. Final Song (Mary, Prinz, Officers, Chorus)
- Refrain Ein kleiner Slowfox mit Mary bei Cocktail und Sherry, das wär 'so mein Ideal!
Some productions in Russia
In the USSR, “The Duchess of Chicago” before the perestroika, it was not possible to deliver in any leading theater, although it was sometimes found in enterprises (under different names) [5] . Nevertheless, the recordings of some musical numbers from this operetta were distributed on records and sounded on the radio. In 1990, the operetta was delivered by the Krasnodar Operetta Theater [6] .
In the 21st century, operettas were staged in several theaters in Russia.
- (2007) St. Petersburg Musical Comedy Theater [5] .
- (2012) Sverdlovsk Theater of Musical Comedy , Yekaterinburg [4] [7] .
- (2013) Saratov Operetta Theater [8] .
Another production was carried out by the Zheleznogorsk Operetta Theater ( Krasnoyarsk Territory ) [9] .
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 Jessie Wright Martin , p. 134-143.
- ↑ Vera Kalman, 2002 , Chapter 5.
- ↑ Operetta "Duchess of Chicago" at the Vienna Opera
- ↑ 1 2 Duchess of Chicago.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Duchess of Chicago .
- ↑ Krasnodar Operetta Theater
- ↑ How happiness smiled. The anniversary of Imre Kalman is marked by the Russian-American premiere .
- ↑ Duchess of Chicago at the Saratov Operetta Theater .
- ↑ Kalman's Operetta - unknown, but beloved .
Literature
- Vladimirskaya A.R. The operetta starry clock . - L .: Art, 1975 .-- 136 p.
- Kalman Vera. Do you remember The life of Imre Kalman. Ed. “The cognitive book”, 2002, 336 p. ISBN 5-05-005406-0 .
- Nagibin Yu . The brilliant and woeful life of Imre Kalman. // Musicians. M .: Sovremennik, 1986. - “Novelties of the Sovremennik.
- Yaron G. M. About your favorite genre. M .: Art, 1960.
Links
- Jessie Wright Martin. A survey of the operettas of Emmerich Kálmán . - A detailed review of all Kalman operettas. Date of appeal October 21, 2018.
- Operetta Description