Der goldene Pierrot
Encyclopedia
Der goldene Pierrot is an operetta
in eight scenes by Walter Goetze
to a libretto
by Oskar Felix and Otto Kleinert. It premiered on 31 March 1934 at the Theater des Westens in Berlin
.
It is the Karneval season, and the Council of Eleven, especially its chairman Peter Sander, is a bit perturbed by the regular appearance at every masquerade ball
by a rather entertaining young female in the mask of a golden pierrot. No one, least of all the strict Sander, suspects his daughter Edith.
So far, Pierrot managed to avoid being unmasked, although it sometimes takes considerable wit. And so it is again today, when being cornered, she seeks help from a perfect stranger and pretends to be his wife. During the following conversation she learns that the man is in fact Horst Brenkendorf who her father has selected
as her future husband. Horst is enchanted by this cheery female in the Pierrot mask, and confides to her that his future bride has been described to him as rather humdrum and plain. They promise to see each other again.
The next day Horst pays a visit to Peter Sander, and Edith, whom Horst fails to recognize, plays the role of the rather dull maiden. Disappointed by his future bride, he is even more captivated by Pierrot when they meet again at a ball that evening.
Six months later Horst and Edith marry. On the wedding day, he surprisingly receives a billet-doux from Pierrot, inviting him to the tryst they promised each other at the ball. Horst is reluctant to go, but when he recognizes Pierrot's true identity from the ring she wears, he decides to go. Edith is bitterly disappointed by her husband's apparent willingness to cheat on her on her wedding day and breaks out in tears. Horst then ends the cruel play and reveals that he has seen through her disguise - echoes of Susanna and Figaro in act IV.
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:...
in eight scenes by Walter Goetze
Walter Goetze
Walter Wilhelm Goetze [sometimes Götze] was a German composer of operettas and revues.Goetze began as composer of songs; the first of his many works for the stage was the revue Nur nicht drängeln in 1912, followed by his first operetta Der liebe Pepi in 1913...
to a 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...
by Oskar Felix and Otto Kleinert. It premiered on 31 March 1934 at the Theater des Westens in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 31 March 1934 (Conductor:) |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Sander, vineyard owner | spoken | |
| Edith, his 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... |
Edith Schollwer |
| Horst Brenkendorf | 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... |
Kar Jöken |
| Ferdi Larsen | tenor | Kurt Vespermann Kurt Vespermann Kurt Vespermann was a German stage and film actor.- Career :Vespermann was born into an actor's family in Culmsee, West Prussia, Imperial Germany today Chełmża, Poland. Already his Great-Grandparents were actors and directors at different Operas and Theaters... |
| Grit Wasconi, film actress | soprano | Genia Nikolajewa |
| Mina, Edith's maid | ||
| Heinrich Schmitz | ||
| Radio reporter | ||
| Maître d' | ||
| Jester | ||
| Masked people, ladies and gentlemen, wine growers, musicians, waiters | ||
Plot
Time and place: A large city by the Rhine, the presentIt is the Karneval season, and the Council of Eleven, especially its chairman Peter Sander, is a bit perturbed by the regular appearance at every masquerade ball
Masquerade ball
A masquerade ball is an event which the participants attend in costume wearing a mask. - History :...
by a rather entertaining young female in the mask of a golden pierrot. No one, least of all the strict Sander, suspects his daughter Edith.
So far, Pierrot managed to avoid being unmasked, although it sometimes takes considerable wit. And so it is again today, when being cornered, she seeks help from a perfect stranger and pretends to be his wife. During the following conversation she learns that the man is in fact Horst Brenkendorf who her father has selected
Arranged marriage
An arranged marriage is a practice in which someone other than the couple getting married makes the selection of the persons to be wed, meanwhile curtailing or avoiding the process of courtship. Such marriages had deep roots in royal and aristocratic families around the world...
as her future husband. Horst is enchanted by this cheery female in the Pierrot mask, and confides to her that his future bride has been described to him as rather humdrum and plain. They promise to see each other again.
The next day Horst pays a visit to Peter Sander, and Edith, whom Horst fails to recognize, plays the role of the rather dull maiden. Disappointed by his future bride, he is even more captivated by Pierrot when they meet again at a ball that evening.
Six months later Horst and Edith marry. On the wedding day, he surprisingly receives a billet-doux from Pierrot, inviting him to the tryst they promised each other at the ball. Horst is reluctant to go, but when he recognizes Pierrot's true identity from the ring she wears, he decides to go. Edith is bitterly disappointed by her husband's apparent willingness to cheat on her on her wedding day and breaks out in tears. Horst then ends the cruel play and reveals that he has seen through her disguise - echoes of Susanna and Figaro in act IV.
Notable arias
- Goldener Pierrot, eine Nacht mit dir
- Viel schöne Frauen gibt's im bunten Liebesgarten
- Wer am Rosenmontag an Aschermittwoch denkt (duet)
- Sei pünktlich, und lass mich nicht warten
- Man spielt nicht mit Herzen
- Tanzen will jedes Mädel
- Die Welt ist schön und muss sich drehn (Grit)
- Den ersten Walzer hat erdacht der Mann im Mond