Hoheit tanzt Walzer
Encyclopedia
Hoheit tanzt Walzer is an operetta
in three acts by Leo Ascher
to a libretto
by Julius Brammer and Alfred Grünwald
, loosely based on Ein Walzertraum
. It premiered on 24 February 1912 at the Raimund Theater
in Vienna
. The work also appeared in a version with an extended plot under the title Hochzeitswalzer in Zurich in 1937.
In short:
Lisi falls in love with Aloisius, but they have no future for the lack of money. Peperl lends them money to open an inn, but the jealous Plunderer schemes to the couple's business failure. Princess Marie visits the inn incognito and falls in love with Peperl, a musician. The Princess gets found out, but her patronage turns the inn's fortune. Sadly, forced by court protocol, the Princess has to marry Prince Victor. She makes the best of the situation by appointing Peperl as music teacher to her younger siblings and making him Hofkapellmeister
(conductor of the court orchestra).
Dominik Gaunzendorf celebrates the 25th year in his occupation. He is anxious to see his daughter Lisi well married, preferably to the rich inn–keeper Plunderer. But Lisi is in love with the poor Aloisius Strampfl. Strampfl wants to buy the inn The Silver Pretzel
, but has no money. The music teacher Peperl Geschwandtner is a good friend of the couple, and he lends them the money for a deposit, hoping the enterprise might further his ambition to be appointed as Hofkapellmeister.
Plunderer arrives at the festivities and is arrogantly confident of obtaining Lisi in marriage. But Geschwandtner teases him about his prospects, and Lisi tells him outright she does not like him. His misery is complete when Strampfl, now an inn–keeper himself, gains Lisi as his bride.
The young couple see a rosy future, but Geschwandtner receives a message that his appointment will not be forthcoming.
The young couple has no luck with The Silver Pretzel; the competition across the road, Plunderer's inn The Golden Ox, is too successful with its orchestra, so much so that Geschwandtner has to work as waiter in the The Silver Pretzel. But soon he manages through clever newspaper advertisements to lure increasing numbers of eligible young ladies and gentlemen into The Silver Pretzel.
By chance, Princess Marie—tired of the rigid court life—appears incognito at The Silver Pretzel. Geschwandtner takes her to be a domestic and falls in love with her. The Princess enjoys the situation enormously and secretly orders the orchestra from The Golden Ox to come and play. She and Geschwandtner join the throng of waltzing couples.
When the court carriage arrives to drive the Princess home, her incognito is lifted, much to Geschwandtner's surprise. As a consequence of the noble visit, the inn's reputation is greatly enhanced and future customer numbers are secured.
It is the wedding day of Princess Marie; following court protcol, she is to marry Prince Victor Bogumil. She reflects with sadness how much happier a marriage to the plain but sincere Geschwandtner would be, but they both know that society conventions will not allow it. However, she contributes to his fortune by making him the music teacher of her younger siblings, and appointing him to the post of Hofkapellmeister. Geschwandtner should be blissfully happy, now that his life–long ambition as a musician has been fulfilled, but he remains of course sad.
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 three acts by Leo Ascher
Leo Ascher
Leo Ascher was a composer of operettas, popular songs and film scores.-Biography:Ascher was born in Vienna as Leonem Ascher. His father, Moritz Ascher, was a local umbrella manufacturer. Leo wrote his first composition, a waltz, at the age of 13 in 1893. He studied law at the University of Vienna...
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 Julius Brammer and Alfred Grünwald
Alfred Grünwald (librettist)
Alfred Grünwald was an Austrian author, librettist, and lyricist. Some of his better-known works were written in conjunction with the composers Franz Lehár, Emmerich Kálmán, Oscar Straus, Paul Abraham, and Robert Stolz.After the Anschluss the family emigrated to the United States in 1940 via France...
, loosely based on Ein Walzertraum
Ein Walzertraum
Ein Walzertraum is an operetta by Oscar Straus with a German libretto by Leopold Jacobson and Felix Dörmann, based on the novella Nur der Prinzgemahl by Hans Müller-Einigen from his 1905 book Buch der Abenteuer .The young Jacobson presented Straus with a libretto for Ein Walzertraum at a...
. It premiered on 24 February 1912 at the Raimund Theater
Raimund Theater
The Raimund Theater is a theatre in the Mariahilf district of Vienna, Austria.Named after the Austrian dramatist Ferdinand Raimund, the theatre was built by an association of Viennese citizens and opened on 28 November 1893 with Raimund's play Die gefesselte Phantasie...
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...
. The work also appeared in a version with an extended plot under the title Hochzeitswalzer in Zurich in 1937.
Reception
Hoheit tanzt Walzer was Leo Ascher's most successful work. The premiere at the Raimund Theatre, where Betty Fischer created the role of the Princess Marie, was followed by a run of 500 performances, with more than 2 500 performances over the next ten years. However, it could not establish itself in the contemporary operetta repertoire.Roles
- Dominik Gaudenzdorf, librarian
- Lisi, his daughter
- Plunderer, a rich inn–keeper
- Peperl Geschwandtner, music teacher (buffo)
- Aloisius Strampfl, (tenorTenorThe 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...
) - Sali, maid at the Gaudenzdorfs
- Princess Marie (sopranoSopranoA 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...
) - Mrs von Kalesch, court lady
- Prince Victor Bogumil
- Princess Creszentia Luise
- Count Bendl, master of ceremonies
- Guests, courtiers, servants, musicians
Plot
Time and place: Vienna and environs, beginning of the 19th centuryIn short:
Lisi falls in love with Aloisius, but they have no future for the lack of money. Peperl lends them money to open an inn, but the jealous Plunderer schemes to the couple's business failure. Princess Marie visits the inn incognito and falls in love with Peperl, a musician. The Princess gets found out, but her patronage turns the inn's fortune. Sadly, forced by court protocol, the Princess has to marry Prince Victor. She makes the best of the situation by appointing Peperl as music teacher to her younger siblings and making him Hofkapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
(conductor of the court orchestra).
Act 1
Room at the GaudenzdorfsDominik Gaunzendorf celebrates the 25th year in his occupation. He is anxious to see his daughter Lisi well married, preferably to the rich inn–keeper Plunderer. But Lisi is in love with the poor Aloisius Strampfl. Strampfl wants to buy the inn The Silver Pretzel
Pretzel
A pretzel is a type of baked food made from dough in soft and hard varieties and savory or sweet flavors in a unique knot-like shape, originating in Europe...
, but has no money. The music teacher Peperl Geschwandtner is a good friend of the couple, and he lends them the money for a deposit, hoping the enterprise might further his ambition to be appointed as Hofkapellmeister.
Plunderer arrives at the festivities and is arrogantly confident of obtaining Lisi in marriage. But Geschwandtner teases him about his prospects, and Lisi tells him outright she does not like him. His misery is complete when Strampfl, now an inn–keeper himself, gains Lisi as his bride.
The young couple see a rosy future, but Geschwandtner receives a message that his appointment will not be forthcoming.
Act 2
The inn The Silver PretzelThe young couple has no luck with The Silver Pretzel; the competition across the road, Plunderer's inn The Golden Ox, is too successful with its orchestra, so much so that Geschwandtner has to work as waiter in the The Silver Pretzel. But soon he manages through clever newspaper advertisements to lure increasing numbers of eligible young ladies and gentlemen into The Silver Pretzel.
By chance, Princess Marie—tired of the rigid court life—appears incognito at The Silver Pretzel. Geschwandtner takes her to be a domestic and falls in love with her. The Princess enjoys the situation enormously and secretly orders the orchestra from The Golden Ox to come and play. She and Geschwandtner join the throng of waltzing couples.
When the court carriage arrives to drive the Princess home, her incognito is lifted, much to Geschwandtner's surprise. As a consequence of the noble visit, the inn's reputation is greatly enhanced and future customer numbers are secured.
Act 3
Ante-room in the castle of Princess Marie near ViennaIt is the wedding day of Princess Marie; following court protcol, she is to marry Prince Victor Bogumil. She reflects with sadness how much happier a marriage to the plain but sincere Geschwandtner would be, but they both know that society conventions will not allow it. However, she contributes to his fortune by making him the music teacher of her younger siblings, and appointing him to the post of Hofkapellmeister. Geschwandtner should be blissfully happy, now that his life–long ambition as a musician has been fulfilled, but he remains of course sad.