The Miracle (German: Das Mirakel) is a 1911 wordless play written by Karl Vollmöller,[1] from which three movie versions were adapted. The play launched the career of the author's wife Maria Carmi, who went on to star in 25 silent films.
1924 performance of The Miracle at the Century Theatre, New York City
Vollmöller's play wordlessly tells the story of a wayward nun who deserts her convent with a knight, influenced by the music of an evil minstrel. A statue of the Virgin Mary comes to life and takes the physical place of the nun (as a type of Doppelgängerin), who makes her way through the world and its many vicissitudes. She is eventually accused of witchcraft, but escapes. Finally, the nun returns to the convent with her dying infant, and is forgiven as the statue of the Madonna resumes its place.
Charles B. Cochran, writing about Max Reinhardt in his autobiography, Showman Looks On: "Our first close association was with the creation of The Miracle, which arose from a suggestion made to him by me in the café at Budapest that he should produce for me a mystery play of the Middle Ages.... At the café table Reinhardt gave me a letter of introduction to Karl Vollmoller who, on my suggestion, prepared a scenario. It was accepted, and I worked in close collaboration with Max Reinhardt, Ernst Stern and Engelbert Humperdinck, until it was produced at Olympia in 1911."
The play first appeared as a vast spectacle-pantomime directed by Max Reinhardt at the London Olympia on 21 December 1911, with principal actors, cast and musical performers numbering around 1,700. The music was specially composed by Engelbert Humperdinck, who suffered a stroke while conducting one of the performances at the indoor arena.
Thereafter the production toured continental Europe, ending in Berlin at the Zirkus Busch [de] on 13 May 1914.[a]
The play has its origins in a 12th-century legend which Spanish writer José Zorrilla y Moral turned into a dramatic poem entitled Margarita La Tornera (Margarita the Gatekeeper). The poem differs from The Miracle in resetting the story in 19th-century Spain, as the 1959 film would do, and in not letting the reader know that the statue has taken the nun's place in the convent until nearly the very end. Zorrilla's poem was made 1909 into an opera (Margarita la tornera) by Spanish zarzuela composer Ruperto Chapí. It was his last work before his death. The poem was also loosely adapted into a Spanish film, Milagro de amor, directed by Francisco Múgica in 1946.[4]
Film versionsedit
The play was adapted into film three times. The original authorized version was a British financed, full-length, hand-colored, black-and-white film The Miracle, filmed in Austria in 1912. In the same year an unauthorized German version was filmed, titled Das Mirakel. In 1959 the play was adapted to film a third time, by Warner Brothers, again titled The Miracle, directed by Irving Rapper.
^List of initial European performances of The Miracle (play) (source: Styan 1982, pp. 136–150):
1912: 15 September – Vienna Rotunde; October – Elberfeld, Breslau, Cologne
1913: January – Prague; February – Vienna Volksoper; September – Leipzig, Dresden, Elberfeld, Breslau, Cologne, Prague; 23 December – Festhalle Frankfurt am Main
1914: January – Hamburg, Karlsruhe; 30 April – 13 May Circus/Zirkus Busch, Berlin.</ref> Two days later the authorised film of the play, The Miracle, received its German première (as Das Mirakel) at the Palast am Zoo cinema (later Ufa-Palast am Zoo), Charlottenburg, Berlin, on Monday, 15 May 1914.[2]
Citations
^"Karl Gustav Vollmoeller | AustriaWiki im Austria-Forum". austria-forum.org. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
^Lichtbild-Bühne, Nr. 26, 16 May 1914 (in German) at filmportal.de
^"Milagro de amor (1946)". IMDb. 12 December 1946.
Bibliographyedit
Styan, J. L. (1982). Max Reinhardt. Cambridge: CUP Archive. pp. 136–150. ISBN978-0-521-29504-8.
External linksedit
The Miracle (1924 Broadway revival) at Internet Broadway Database
May 07, 2024
miracle, play, this, article, about, play, films, based, miracle, disambiguation, miracle, german, mirakel, 1911, wordless, play, written, karl, vollmöller, from, which, three, movie, versions, were, adapted, play, launched, career, author, wife, maria, carmi,. This article is about the play For films based on it see Miracle disambiguation The Miracle German Das Mirakel is a 1911 wordless play written by Karl Vollmoller 1 from which three movie versions were adapted The play launched the career of the author s wife Maria Carmi who went on to star in 25 silent films 1924 performance of The Miracle at the Century Theatre New York City Contents 1 Plot 2 History 3 Spanish versions 4 Film versions 5 See also 6 References 7 Bibliography 8 External linksPlot editSee also The Miracle 1912 film Literary sources Vollmoller s play wordlessly tells the story of a wayward nun who deserts her convent with a knight influenced by the music of an evil minstrel A statue of the Virgin Mary comes to life and takes the physical place of the nun as a type of Doppelgangerin who makes her way through the world and its many vicissitudes She is eventually accused of witchcraft but escapes Finally the nun returns to the convent with her dying infant and is forgiven as the statue of the Madonna resumes its place History editSee also Das Mirakel 1912 film Background Charles B Cochran writing about Max Reinhardt in his autobiography Showman Looks On Our first close association was with the creation of The Miracle which arose from a suggestion made to him by me in the cafe at Budapest that he should produce for me a mystery play of the Middle Ages At the cafe table Reinhardt gave me a letter of introduction to Karl Vollmoller who on my suggestion prepared a scenario It was accepted and I worked in close collaboration with Max Reinhardt Ernst Stern and Engelbert Humperdinck until it was produced at Olympia in 1911 The play first appeared as a vast spectacle pantomime directed by Max Reinhardt at the London Olympia on 21 December 1911 with principal actors cast and musical performers numbering around 1 700 The music was specially composed by Engelbert Humperdinck who suffered a stroke while conducting one of the performances at the indoor arena Thereafter the production toured continental Europe ending in Berlin at the Zirkus Busch de on 13 May 1914 a The play was revived on Broadway in 1924 after a tour of Detroit Milwaukee and Dallas The New York version which opened January 16 1924 at the Century Theatre was produced by Morris Gest and starred Rosamond Pinchot as the Nun and Lady Diana Cooper and Maria Carmi alternating nightly in the role of the Madonna 3 Spanish versions editThe play has its origins in a 12th century legend which Spanish writer Jose Zorrilla y Moral turned into a dramatic poem entitled Margarita La Tornera Margarita the Gatekeeper The poem differs from The Miracle in resetting the story in 19th century Spain as the 1959 film would do and in not letting the reader know that the statue has taken the nun s place in the convent until nearly the very end Zorrilla s poem was made 1909 into an opera Margarita la tornera by Spanish zarzuela composer Ruperto Chapi It was his last work before his death The poem was also loosely adapted into a Spanish film Milagro de amor directed by Francisco Mugica in 1946 4 Film versions editThe play was adapted into film three times The original authorized version was a British financed full length hand colored black and white film The Miracle filmed in Austria in 1912 In the same year an unauthorized German version was filmed titled Das Mirakel In 1959 the play was adapted to film a third time by Warner Brothers again titled The Miracle directed by Irving Rapper See also editThe Miracle 1912 film Das Mirakel 1912 film The Miracle 1959 film References editNotes List of initial European performances of The Miracle play source Styan 1982 pp 136 150 1912 15 September Vienna Rotunde October Elberfeld Breslau Cologne 1913 January Prague February Vienna Volksoper September Leipzig Dresden Elberfeld Breslau Cologne Prague 23 December Festhalle Frankfurt am Main 1914 January Hamburg Karlsruhe 30 April 13 May Circus Zirkus Busch Berlin lt ref gt Two days later the authorised film of the play The Miracle received its German premiere as Das Mirakel at the Palast am Zoo cinema later Ufa Palast am Zoo Charlottenburg Berlin on Monday 15 May 1914 2 Citations Karl Gustav Vollmoeller AustriaWiki im Austria Forum austria forum org Retrieved 2021 11 30 Lichtbild Buhne Nr 26 16 May 1914 in German at filmportal de New York Times January 24 1924 Milagro de amor 1946 IMDb 12 December 1946 Bibliography editStyan J L 1982 Max Reinhardt Cambridge CUP Archive pp 136 150 ISBN 978 0 521 29504 8 External links editThe Miracle 1924 Broadway revival at Internet Broadway Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Miracle play amp oldid 1057916589, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
