Der Zigeunerprimas is a three act operetta

Operetta

Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...

, which was composed by Emmerich Kálmán

Emmerich Kalman

Emmerich Kálmán was a Hungarian-born composer of operettas.- Biography :Kálmán was born Imre Koppstein in Siófok, on the southern shore of Lake Balaton, Hungary in a Jewish family.Kálmán initially intended to become a concert pianist, but because of early-onset arthritis, he focused on composition...

. The libretto

Libretto

A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...

 was written by Julius Wilhelm and Fritz Grünbaum

Fritz Grünbaum

Fritz Grünbaum was an Austrian Jewish cabaret artist, operetta and pop song writer, director, actor and master of ceremonies....

. It premiered in Vienna

Vienna

Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...

, at the Johann Strauss Theatre, on October 11, 1912.

Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, 11 October 1912 (Conductor: - )
Pali Rácz, a Gypsy violinist and orchestra leader	tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...	Alexander Girardi Alexander Girardi Alexander Girardi was an Austrian] actor and tenor singer in operettas.- Career :Girardi was born in Graz; his father was the locksmith Andreas Girardi who had migrated to Graz from Cortina d'Ampezzo. Following the early death of his father, Alexander Girardi was raised by his stepfather who put...
Laczi, Pali's son	tenor	Willy Strehl
Sári, Pali's daughter	soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...	Grete Holm
Juliska Racz, Pali's niece	soprano
Gaston, Count Irini	baritone	Max Brod
King Heribert VII, disguised as Count Estragon	baritone	Josek Victora

Synopsis

Pali Rácz, a thrice-widowed Gypsy violinist, is adored by women and hailed widely as a virtuoso. His daughter Sari cares for their large family. His young son Laczi is also a violinist, but has chosen to forsake his father's playing style and study classical violin at the Academy of Music. Pali wants to marry his niece, Juliska, as a companion in his old age, but she prefers his son, Laczi, and Laczi, in turn, loves her. Pali criticizes Laczi's musical talent so much, and Laczi yearns so for Juliska, that he leaves home. Reunited in Paris, father and son reconcile after Countess Irini, an old admirer, convinces Pali not to interfere with the course of Laczi and Juliska's relationship. Irini's grandson marries Sari.

Recordings

• Metternich, Katona, Jurgens, Losch, Daue, Hofmann – WDR – Marszalek
  Marszalek
  Marszałek was one of the highest officials in the Polish royal court since the 13th century and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since the 15th century...
  
   – 1949 or 1960’s (0103)
• Thompson, Meacham, Lengfelder – Ohio Light Opera
  Ohio Light Opera
  The Ohio Light Opera is a professional opera company based in Wooster, Ohio that performs the light opera repertory, including Gilbert and Sullivan, American, British and continental operettas, and other musical theatre works, especially of the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
  
   – McMahon – 2001 (0098).
• Rossmanith, Lienbacher, Saccá, Bankl-Flor-CPO 058-2-2003

Sources

• Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). 11 ottobre 1912". Almanacco Amadeus. Accessed 27 March 2011 .
• Myers, Eric (2002). "Kalman: Der Zigeunerprimas. Opera News
  Opera News
  Opera News is an American classical music magazine. It has been published since 1936 by the Metropolitan Opera Guild, a non-profit organization located at Lincoln Center which was founded to support the Metropolitan Opera of New York City...
  
  , October 2002

External links

• Detailed synopsis and list of musical numbers for Der Zigeunerprimas at musicaltheatreguide.com