Arme Jonathan, Der
Operette in drei Akten von H Wittmann und Julius Bauer
Composer: Milloecker, Carl 1842 - 1899
Version: Felsenstein
Der Arme Jonathan (1890) is one of Millöcker’s later operettas, written only nine years before his death. SYNOPSIS: Boston, Monaco and New York. In Boston, Mr. Vandergold is unhappy - his immense wealth is is a burden to him. He feels everyone is only after him for his money, including Harriet, a girl with a voice of gold who is being courted by the impresario Tobias. Both Vandergold and Harriet secretly love each other, but neither knows how to express their feelings. Frustrated, Harriet accepts a tour contract from Tobias and departs for Europe. Vandergold, unhappier than ever, decides to kill himself. Before doing so, however, he pulls a document from his jacket, in which he donates his entire fortune to someone… who remains to be named. Meanwhile, the cook Jonathan has been fired for having ruined Vandergold’s birthday cake - having used ‘soap’ instead of ‘syrup’. Jonathan says goodbye to his girlfriend Molly and informs her that he intends to kill himself: completely broke and jobless, he sees no reason to continue living. As he is about to pull the trigger of his gun he faces Vandergold, who is about to do the same thing, commit suicide. Vandergold has an idea - he will give all of his millions to the cook, on one condition: should one of them ever decide to kill themselves again, then the other must do so too or give/take back the money. The agreed sign for this transaction is the singing of the tune Willst du mein Liebster sein, Harriet’s love song. Despite many complications in Monaco, where Jonathan and new wife Molly live in permanent fear of hearing the musical signal, things resolve themselves in New York. Harriet wants to marry Vandergold, and says he should use his regained money to build a theatre where they can play this story… as an example for others. Vandergold agrees, and the money-weary Jonathan returns to being cook for Mr. Vandergold. All ends well for everyone, even for Molly, who again takes a job as a chambermaid. It seems that these were the social positions that the two servants were most happy with all along.
Instrumentation
2 (2 dbl picc).2.2.2. / 4.2.3.0. / timp / perc / str
Format
V/S O/S
Publisher
JW