Der Opernball (operetta)
Encyclopedia
Der Opernball is an operetta
in three acts with music by Richard Heuberger
, and libretto
by Victor Léon and Heinrich von Waldberg, based on the 1876 comedy Die Rosa-Dominos by Alfred Charlemagne Delacour and Alfred Hennequin. Alexander von Zemlinsky
assisted Heuberger with the orchestration. Its premiere was at the Theater an der Wien
, Vienna
, Austria
on January 5, 1898. The most famous number from the opera is the waltz
duet "Komm mit mir ins Chambre séparée" (known colloquially as "Im Chambre séparée"). The operetta remains in the repertoire of German-language opera companies, such as the Vienna Volksoper
.
Act I
Paul Aubier and his wife Angèle are guests of Georges and Marguérite Duménil. Marguérite is sceptical of the fidelity of men in marriage, and she persuades Angèle to put their husbands to the test. On their instructions, the chambermaid Hortense writes two identical letters which invite Paul and Georges to Stelldichein to an opera ball at the Paris Opera
, where they will meet a lady with a pink domino as part of her dress. Secretly, Hortense writes a third such letter for Henri, because she wants to appear also with the pink domino.
Act II
The setting is the opera ball, where everyone is masked. Beaubuisson and the singer Féodara are one couple. Of the three ladies with the pink domino, Henri sees the pink domino on Hortense, Georges sees it on Angèle, and Paul on Marguérite. Georges and Paul hope to meet the mysterious lady each in a chambre séparée. However, Angèle and Marguérite have arranged for a bell signal, at whose sound the lovers are to meet outside the rooms. In the confusion, Paul and Georges meet each other, and not the expected lady. Furthermore, they each then see Hortense with the pink domino, not knowing who she is. Each tries to engage the lady, but in the process, Hortense's pink domino is destroyed. Marguérite and Angèle are both unaware of the presence of Hortense.
Act III
Back at his residence, Georges discovers the writing paper on which that the invitation to the opera ball was written, and tries to figure out the situation. Things build to the point where Georges challenges Paul to a duel. Finally, Marguérite and Angèle show their intact pink dominoes, which nominally proves the fidelity of their husbands. The role of Hortense in the plot is revealed to all.
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 with music by Richard Heuberger
Richard Heuberger
Richard Franz Joseph Heuberger was an Austrian composer of operas and operettas, a music critic, and teacher....
, and 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 Victor Léon and Heinrich von Waldberg, based on the 1876 comedy Die Rosa-Dominos by Alfred Charlemagne Delacour and Alfred Hennequin. Alexander von Zemlinsky
Alexander von Zemlinsky
Alexander Zemlinsky or Alexander von Zemlinsky was an Austrian composer, conductor, and teacher.-Early life:...
assisted Heuberger with the orchestration. Its premiere was at the Theater an der Wien
Theater an der Wien
The Theater an der Wien is a historic theatre on the Left Wienzeile in the Mariahilf district of Vienna. Completed in 1801, it has seen the premieres of many celebrated works of theatre, opera, and symphonic music...
, 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...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
on January 5, 1898. The most famous number from the opera is the waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
duet "Komm mit mir ins Chambre séparée" (known colloquially as "Im Chambre séparée"). The operetta remains in the repertoire of German-language opera companies, such as the Vienna Volksoper
Vienna Volksoper
The Vienna Volksoper is a major opera house in Vienna, Austria. It gives about three hundred performances of twenty-five productions during an annual season running from September through June....
.
Roles
- Theophil Beaubuisson (bass)
- Palmyra Beaubuisson, his wife (alto)
- Henri, naval cadet, their nephew (tenor or mezzo-soprano)
- Paul Aubier (tenor)
- Angèle, wife of Paul and niece to Madame Beaubuisson (soprano)
- Georges Duménil (tenor, buffo role)
- Marguérite Duménil, wife of Georges (soprano)
- Hortense, chambermaid of the Duménils (soubrette)
- Féodora, a chansonette (soprano)
- Philippe, waiter in the opera entrance hall (tenor)
- Jean, a waiter
- Germain, a servant
Synopsis
The setting is Paris during Carnival, towards the end of the 19th century.Act I
Paul Aubier and his wife Angèle are guests of Georges and Marguérite Duménil. Marguérite is sceptical of the fidelity of men in marriage, and she persuades Angèle to put their husbands to the test. On their instructions, the chambermaid Hortense writes two identical letters which invite Paul and Georges to Stelldichein to an opera ball at the Paris Opera
Palais Garnier
The Palais Garnier, , is an elegant 1,979-seat opera house, which was built from 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera. It was originally called the Salle des Capucines because of its location on the Boulevard des Capucines in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, but soon became known as the Palais Garnier...
, where they will meet a lady with a pink domino as part of her dress. Secretly, Hortense writes a third such letter for Henri, because she wants to appear also with the pink domino.
Act II
The setting is the opera ball, where everyone is masked. Beaubuisson and the singer Féodara are one couple. Of the three ladies with the pink domino, Henri sees the pink domino on Hortense, Georges sees it on Angèle, and Paul on Marguérite. Georges and Paul hope to meet the mysterious lady each in a chambre séparée. However, Angèle and Marguérite have arranged for a bell signal, at whose sound the lovers are to meet outside the rooms. In the confusion, Paul and Georges meet each other, and not the expected lady. Furthermore, they each then see Hortense with the pink domino, not knowing who she is. Each tries to engage the lady, but in the process, Hortense's pink domino is destroyed. Marguérite and Angèle are both unaware of the presence of Hortense.
Act III
Back at his residence, Georges discovers the writing paper on which that the invitation to the opera ball was written, and tries to figure out the situation. Things build to the point where Georges challenges Paul to a duel. Finally, Marguérite and Angèle show their intact pink dominoes, which nominally proves the fidelity of their husbands. The role of Hortense in the plot is revealed to all.
Film versions
Two films have been made of Der opernball.- 1939, Cast: Paul Hörbiger, Marte Harell, Hans Moser, Heli Finkenzeller, Theo Lingen, Fita Benkhoff and Will Dohm; Director, Géza von Bolváry
- 1956, Cast: Johannes Heesters, Hertha Feiler, Josef Meinrad, Sonja Ziemann, Adrian Hoven, Fita Benkhoff, and Theo Lingen (reprising the role of Germain, the servant); Director, Ernst Marischka