The Count of Luxembourg is an operetta in two acts with English lyrics and libretto by Basil Hood and Adrian Ross, music by Franz Lehár, based on Lehár's three-act German operetta Der Graf von Luxemburg which had premiered in Vienna in 1909. Lehár made amendments to his Viennese score to accommodate the two-act adaptation. He also interpolated into the score three new pieces: a waltz that he had written for a commemorative performance of Der Graf in Vienna; a song from his first operetta, Wiener Frauen; and a Russian dance from the opera Tatjana.[1]
Drawing of Wallis and Elsie
The original production opened at Daly's Theatre in London in 1911 and ran for 345 performances, starring Lily Elsie, Huntley Wright, W. H. Berry and Bertram Wallis. It was followed by a UK tour and also had a good run at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York in 1912 with the libretto further adapted by Glen MacDonaugh. It played in Australia in 1913. Adaptations included a 1967 BBC television production and an American silent film version made in 1926. A new English language adaptation of Der Graf von Luxemburg, more closely following the original score and libretto, was produced under the name The Count of Luxembourg and recorded by New Sadler's Wells Opera in 1983 and toured by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in 1997.
The Grand Duke Rutzinov may not marry Angèle, an opera singer with whom he is infatuated, unless she bears a title. He therefore arranges for the penniless bohemian spendthrift Count René to marry a lady whose face he is not to see, and to agree to a divorce in three months. For this the Count receives the sum of £20,000 (half a million francs). As she will then bear a title, Rutzinov can then marry her. At the wedding ceremony, at the studio of Rutzinov's artist friend Brissard, the Count and his mystery bride are separated by a canvas – but when they touch hands to exchange the rings, they fall in love.
Months later, Angèle gives a party, which the Count attends. They are immediately attracted to each other, but not knowing that they are already husband and wife, they believe their romance is hopeless. To prevent things from going further, Rutzinov announces his engagement to Angèle. But Brissard notes that the Count has not yet divorced and reveals that the two are still married. Secretly delighted, Angèle denounces the Count's act in marrying for money. The Count storms off angrily. Meanwhile, Rutzinov decides to marry a Russian countess instead, and the Count comes into some money, which he uses to pay Rutzinov back the £20,000. But he is miserable without Angèle and eventually tells her that he loves her. All ends happily.
Hood wrote about rewriting the libretto of the operetta for British audiences:
"...there are not, I think, thirty lines of dialogue in the English adaptation which are actually translated from the German; the action of the play has been constructed in two acts, instead of the original three; while the entire part of Brissard, played by Mr. W. H. Berry, has been invented and introduced, and, as a consequence, new situations and scenes have arisen which do not exist in the original play. Three of four minor characters also have been created to help the construction of the new effects, such as the opening of Act I, and the dialogue scene towards the end of Act II, where Angele and the Count each discovers the identity of the other, through the jealous interference of Monsieur de Tresac. This particular episode was in the original treated musically, with a full stage, being the subject of the Finale of Act II; and in doing away with the third act it became necessary, of course, to sacrifice this Finale and to approach and develop the dramatic moments of the recognition by different methods, in spoken dialogue...."[2]
No. 1 – "Carnival! Make the most of Carnival!" – Chorus
No. 2 – "Bohemia" – Brissard and Chorus
No. 3 – "Pierrot and Pierrette" – Juliette and Chorus
No. 4 – "Carnival! Make the most of Carnival!" – Chorus and René
No. 4a – First Exit – "So lend it, spend it, end it, and out of the window send it"
No. 4b – Second Exit – "So lend it, spend it, end it..."
No. 5 – "A Carnival for life" – Juliette and Brissard
No. 6 – "I am in love" – Grand Duke and Attendants
No. 7 – "Love, goodbye" – Angèle
No. 8 – "Cousins of the Czar" – Angèle and Grand Duke
No. 9 – "Twenty thousand pounds" – René, Grand Duke and Attendants
No. 10 – Finale – "Fair Countess, may I wish that now you'll be happy for ever?"
Act II – Reception Hall at the Grand Duke Rutzinov's, Paris
No. 11 – Opening Scene and Dance
No. 12 – "Hail, Angèle" – Chorus and Angèle
No. 12a – Fanfare
No. 12b – Stage Music
No. 13 – "Pretty butterfly" – Grand Duke
No. 14 – "Her glove" – René
No. 15 – "In society" – Juliette and Brissard
No. 16 – "Love breaks every bond" – Angèle and René
No. 17 – Russian Dance – "Kukuska"
No. 18 – "Rootsie-pootsie"– Grand Duke and Girls
No. 19 – "Are you going to dance?" – Angèle and René
No. 20 – "Boys" – Juliette, Mimi, Grand Duke, Brissard and Girls
No. 21 – Finale – Angèle and René – "Say not love is a dream"
Productions and adaptationsedit
The Count of Luxembourg opened at Daly's Theatre in London on 20 May 1911 and ran for a successful 345 performances,[3] starring Lily Elsie, Huntley Wright, W. H. Berry and Bertram Wallis. The opening night was conducted by Lehár and attended by King George V and Queen Mary. The Times particularly praised the singing and dancing of Elsie and Wallis, as well as Lehár's music, though the paper judged the story to be thin and improbable.[4] It was followed by a UK tour starring Eric Thorne, Robert Michaelis, Lauri de Frece and Daisy Burrell,[5] and it also had a good run at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York in 1912 with the libretto further adapted by Glen MacDonaugh.[6][7] It played in Australia in 1913.[8] There was a Broadway revival in 1930.[9] In 1967, the BBC broadcast their own television production, conducted by David Lloyd-Jones.[10]
An American silent film adaptation was made in 1926.[11] A new English language stage version of Der Graf von Luxemburg, more closely following the original score and libretto, was produced under the name The Count of Luxembourg and recorded by New Sadler's Wells Opera in 1983.[12] This version was revived on tour by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in 1997.[13]
^Gillan, Don. The Count of Luxembourg, Stage Beauty, reprinted from The Play Pictorial, No. 108, 1911, accessed January 17, 2012
^Traubner, p. 238; some sources say 240 performances, but it is clear from The Times that the higher number must be correct, as the paper says in March 1912 that the piece continues to play strongly: "Daly's Theatre", The Count Of Luxembourg, The Times, 11 March 1912, p. 11, and it includes notices for further performances of the operetta as late as 4 May.
^"The King and Queen at Daly's Theatre", The Count of Luxembourg, The Times, 22 May 1911, p. 10
^Lionel Carson (ed). The Stage Year Book (1912), p. 185
^The Count of Luxembourg, Musical Theatre Guide, accessed January 17, 2012
^The Count of Luxembourg, IBDB database, accessed January 19, 2012
^"More Opera on B.B.C. Television", The Times, 9 November 1966, p. 7; and Julian Critchley, "Cup final breaks the boredom", The Times, 22 May 1967, p. 8
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The Count of Luxembourg is an operetta in two acts with English lyrics and libretto by Basil Hood and Adrian Ross music by Franz Lehar based on Lehar s three act German operetta Der Graf von Luxemburg which had premiered in Vienna in 1909 Lehar made amendments to his Viennese score to accommodate the two act adaptation He also interpolated into the score three new pieces a waltz that he had written for a commemorative performance of Der Graf in Vienna a song from his first operetta Wiener Frauen and a Russian dance from the opera Tatjana 1 Drawing of Wallis and ElsieThe original production opened at Daly s Theatre in London in 1911 and ran for 345 performances starring Lily Elsie Huntley Wright W H Berry and Bertram Wallis It was followed by a UK tour and also had a good run at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York in 1912 with the libretto further adapted by Glen MacDonaugh It played in Australia in 1913 Adaptations included a 1967 BBC television production and an American silent film version made in 1926 A new English language adaptation of Der Graf von Luxemburg more closely following the original score and libretto was produced under the name The Count of Luxembourg and recorded by New Sadler s Wells Opera in 1983 and toured by the D Oyly Carte Opera Company in 1997 Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Roles and original London cast 3 Musical numbers 4 Productions and adaptations 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksSynopsis editThe Grand Duke Rutzinov may not marry Angele an opera singer with whom he is infatuated unless she bears a title He therefore arranges for the penniless bohemian spendthrift Count Rene to marry a lady whose face he is not to see and to agree to a divorce in three months For this the Count receives the sum of 20 000 half a million francs As she will then bear a title Rutzinov can then marry her At the wedding ceremony at the studio of Rutzinov s artist friend Brissard the Count and his mystery bride are separated by a canvas but when they touch hands to exchange the rings they fall in love Months later Angele gives a party which the Count attends They are immediately attracted to each other but not knowing that they are already husband and wife they believe their romance is hopeless To prevent things from going further Rutzinov announces his engagement to Angele But Brissard notes that the Count has not yet divorced and reveals that the two are still married Secretly delighted Angele denounces the Count s act in marrying for money The Count storms off angrily Meanwhile Rutzinov decides to marry a Russian countess instead and the Count comes into some money which he uses to pay Rutzinov back the 20 000 But he is miserable without Angele and eventually tells her that he loves her All ends happily Hood wrote about rewriting the libretto of the operetta for British audiences there are not I think thirty lines of dialogue in the English adaptation which are actually translated from the German the action of the play has been constructed in two acts instead of the original three while the entire part of Brissard played by Mr W H Berry has been invented and introduced and as a consequence new situations and scenes have arisen which do not exist in the original play Three of four minor characters also have been created to help the construction of the new effects such as the opening of Act I and the dialogue scene towards the end of Act II where Angele and the Count each discovers the identity of the other through the jealous interference of Monsieur de Tresac This particular episode was in the original treated musically with a full stage being the subject of the Finale of Act II and in doing away with the third act it became necessary of course to sacrifice this Finale and to approach and develop the dramatic moments of the recognition by different methods in spoken dialogue 2 Roles and original London cast edit nbsp Wallis and ElsieCount Rene of Luxembourg Bertram Wallis Registrar Fred Kaye Jean Baptiste a Waiter Willie Warde Mons De Tresac Alec Fraser Mons De Valmont Paul Plunket Pelegrin Mentschikoff and Paulovitch the Grand Duke s attendants Frank Perfitt Ridgwell Cullum Charles Coleman Lavigne Boulanger Artists Gervais Whitehead Garnet Wilson Brissard an Artist W H Berry The Grand Duke Rutzinov Huntley Wright Juliette a Model May de Sousa Countess Kokozeff Gladys Homfrey Mimi May Marton Lisette Maid to Angele Kitty Hanson Angele Didier Lily ElsieMusical numbers editAct I Brissard s Studio ParisNo 1 Carnival Make the most of Carnival Chorus No 2 Bohemia Brissard and Chorus No 3 Pierrot and Pierrette Juliette and Chorus No 4 Carnival Make the most of Carnival Chorus and Rene No 4a First Exit So lend it spend it end it and out of the window send it No 4b Second Exit So lend it spend it end it No 5 A Carnival for life Juliette and Brissard No 6 I am in love Grand Duke and Attendants No 7 Love goodbye Angele No 8 Cousins of the Czar Angele and Grand Duke No 9 Twenty thousand pounds Rene Grand Duke and Attendants No 10 Finale Fair Countess may I wish that now you ll be happy for ever Act II Reception Hall at the Grand Duke Rutzinov s ParisNo 11 Opening Scene and Dance No 12 Hail Angele Chorus and Angele No 12a Fanfare No 12b Stage Music No 13 Pretty butterfly Grand Duke No 14 Her glove Rene No 15 In society Juliette and Brissard No 16 Love breaks every bond Angele and Rene No 17 Russian Dance Kukuska No 18 Rootsie pootsie Grand Duke and Girls No 19 Are you going to dance Angele and Rene No 20 Boys Juliette Mimi Grand Duke Brissard and Girls No 21 Finale Angele and Rene Say not love is a dream Productions and adaptations editThe Count of Luxembourg opened at Daly s Theatre in London on 20 May 1911 and ran for a successful 345 performances 3 starring Lily Elsie Huntley Wright W H Berry and Bertram Wallis The opening night was conducted by Lehar and attended by King George V and Queen Mary The Times particularly praised the singing and dancing of Elsie and Wallis as well as Lehar s music though the paper judged the story to be thin and improbable 4 It was followed by a UK tour starring Eric Thorne Robert Michaelis Lauri de Frece and Daisy Burrell 5 and it also had a good run at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York in 1912 with the libretto further adapted by Glen MacDonaugh 6 7 It played in Australia in 1913 8 There was a Broadway revival in 1930 9 In 1967 the BBC broadcast their own television production conducted by David Lloyd Jones 10 An American silent film adaptation was made in 1926 11 A new English language stage version of Der Graf von Luxemburg more closely following the original score and libretto was produced under the name The Count of Luxembourg and recorded by New Sadler s Wells Opera in 1983 12 This version was revived on tour by the D Oyly Carte Opera Company in 1997 13 Notes edit Lamb Andrew Lehar s Count of Luxembourg The Musical Times Vol 124 No 1679 January 1983 pp 23 25 Gillan Don The Count of Luxembourg Stage Beauty reprinted from The Play Pictorial No 108 1911 accessed January 17 2012 Traubner p 238 some sources say 240 performances but it is clear from The Times that the higher number must be correct as the paper says in March 1912 that the piece continues to play strongly Daly s Theatre The Count Of Luxembourg The Times 11 March 1912 p 11 and it includes notices for further performances of the operetta as late as 4 May The King and Queen at Daly s Theatre The Count of Luxembourg The Times 22 May 1911 p 10 Lionel Carson ed The Stage Year Book 1912 p 185 The Count of Luxembourg Musical Theatre Guide accessed January 17 2012 Blumenfeld p 136 Ganzl p 568 The Count of Luxembourg IBDB database accessed January 19 2012 More Opera on B B C Television The Times 9 November 1966 p 7 and Julian Critchley Cup final breaks the boredom The Times 22 May 1967 p 8 The Count of Luxembourg 1926 at IMDb Lamb Andrew Recording Review Kalman Countess Maritza and Lehar The Count of Luxembourg Gramophone January 1884 p 74 Canning Hugh Flat Widow fizzy Count The Sunday Times 2 November 1997References editBlumenfeld Robert Blumenfeld s Dictionary of musical theater Hal Leonard Corporation 2010 ISBN 0 87910 372 8 Ganzl Kurt The Encyclopedia of The Musical Theatre Blackwell 1994 vol I pp 567 69 ISBN 0 02 864970 2 Traubner Richard Operetta a theatrical history 2nd edition Routledge 2003 ISBN 0 415 96641 8External links editNumerous photos from the original production Song list and links to midi files and cast lists Vocal score 1911 Information about the Broadway production Information about the 1926 silent film version Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Count of Luxembourg amp oldid 1139044144, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
