Ihre Hoheit, die Tänzerin (operetta)
Encyclopedia
Ihre Hoheit, die Tänzerin (Her Highness, the Dancer) is an operetta
in three acts by Walter Goetze
to a libretto
by Richard Bars and Oskar Felix. It premiered on 9 May 1919 at the Bellevue Theatre
in Stettin
.
Hans, a romantic lad, suffers from the refusal by the Spanish dancer Marietta to marry him. He is introduced to the Duchess who is taken by his charm, but she soon learns that Hans' affection is based on her resemblance to Marietta. When Cimboletto suggests a performance of his troupe, she plans to appear in that performance disguised as Marietta to discover what Hans' real feelings are.
The adventurous Bolko meets Helma who pretends to be the Duchess' maid.
The Duchess' performance as Marietta is a great success; the whole court and the officers gush about her. Hans' feelings are confused, but intoxicated by the last embrace and parting kiss of who he believes to be Marietta, he confesses to her that his true feelings are for the Duchess.
Much to Helma's dismay, Bolko spends much of the evening with the pretty girls from the ballet.
of the Duchess
Helma still pretends to the Duchess' maid, and Bolko fears that the Duchess might disapprove of his marriage to a commoner. To his great delight, Helma's true identity is finally revealed, and the Duchess gifts him a country estate and von Stein as its steward
.
The Duchess makes Hans a Lieutenant of her guard and reveals the secret of her disguise during the previous evening.
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 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 Richard Bars and Oskar Felix. It premiered on 9 May 1919 at the Bellevue Theatre
in Stettin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
.
Roles
- DuchessDukeA duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of Tyllberg (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...
) - BaronessBaronBaron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
Helma, her friend (soubretteSoubretteA soubrette is a female stock character in opera and theatre. The term arrived in English from Provençal via French, and means "conceited" or "coy".-Theater:...
) - Baron von Stein, Majordomo to the Duchess
- Bolko von Wellhofen, his nephew (buffo)
- Hans von Mayburg, EsquireEsquireEsquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
(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...
) - Cimboletto, director of a ballet companyBallet companyA ballet company is a group of dancers who perform ballet, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-round basis, except in the United States, where contracts for part of the year are the norm...
- Anita, maid to the Duchess
- Baumann, valetValetValet and varlet are terms for male servants who serve as personal attendants to their employer.- Word origins :In the Middle Ages, the valet de chambre to a ruler was a prestigious appointment for young men...
to Baron von Stein - Franz, servant to Mayburg
- Court society, officers, huntsmen, dancers
Act 1
The park of the hunting palace of the DuchessHans, a romantic lad, suffers from the refusal by the Spanish dancer Marietta to marry him. He is introduced to the Duchess who is taken by his charm, but she soon learns that Hans' affection is based on her resemblance to Marietta. When Cimboletto suggests a performance of his troupe, she plans to appear in that performance disguised as Marietta to discover what Hans' real feelings are.
The adventurous Bolko meets Helma who pretends to be the Duchess' maid.
Act 2
A large tent near the palaceThe Duchess' performance as Marietta is a great success; the whole court and the officers gush about her. Hans' feelings are confused, but intoxicated by the last embrace and parting kiss of who he believes to be Marietta, he confesses to her that his true feelings are for the Duchess.
Much to Helma's dismay, Bolko spends much of the evening with the pretty girls from the ballet.
Act 3
The boudoirBoudoir
A boudoir is a lady's private bedroom, sitting room or dressing room. The term derives from the French verb bouder, meaning "to be sulky" or boudeur, meaning "sulky".- In architecture :...
of the Duchess
Helma still pretends to the Duchess' maid, and Bolko fears that the Duchess might disapprove of his marriage to a commoner. To his great delight, Helma's true identity is finally revealed, and the Duchess gifts him a country estate and von Stein as its steward
Steward (office)
A steward is an official who is appointed by the legal ruling monarch to represent him or her in a country, and may have a mandate to govern it in his or her name; in the latter case, it roughly corresponds with the position of governor or deputy...
.
The Duchess makes Hans a Lieutenant of her guard and reveals the secret of her disguise during the previous evening.
Notable arias
- Das Lied vom schwachen Stündchen/Im Rausch des Glücks
- Dich hat Frau Venus geboren (duet)
External links
- Score title (web page)
- Score Title (image from the page above)
- Score title of a piano reduction
