Herzogin von Chicago, Die

During the 1920s, attempts were made to imbue the operetta with a new lease of life. Lehár and Kálmán both recognised the necessity of finding new ways to intrigue audiences, and this is evident in Kálmán’s 1928 Die Herzogin von Chicago (The Duchess of Chicago), which has been described as “a musical boxing match between old and new dance music”. Kálmán draws on the political cabaret that was a feature of Vienna, Berlin and Munich at the time, and directly addresses the impact of America, of jazz and of social revolution. Central to the whole operetta is the clash between the Charleston and the Viennese waltz, echoing the unusual collision of cultures that the plot depicts. Although largely forgotten for much of the twentieth century, Die Herzogin von Chicago has seen recent reappraisal, and can proudly take its place amongst Kálmán’s most witty, tuneful and entertaining operettas. SYNOPSIS: 1928, Budapest and Sylvaria. American heiress, Miss Mary Lloyd, makes a bet with circle of girlfriends, the Eccentric Young Ladies Club, as to which of them can buy the most expensive thing in Europe. In the bankrupt state of Sylvaria, Prince Sándor Boris and his Ministers are trying to keep the natives happy while the King is off to Monte Carlo. As there’s nothing like a Royal Wedding to please the locals, the Prince makes a lovless marriage pact with Princess Rosemarie of Morenia. When Mary arrives in Sylvaria, Mary arranges to buy the royal palace, and decides that, having bought the palace, she must also have the prince that goes with it…... The setting and score call for 1920s flapper costumes, jazz - and the Charleston!

Instrumentation
2(2 dbl picc).2.2.2asax.1tsax.2. / 3.2.4.0. / timp / perc / cel / 2bjo(dbl mand) / hp / str Stage Music: 2cl.2asax.1tsax / 2tpt.1tbn / perc / pno / bjo / cimb / str 2.2.1.1.1.

Format
F/S V/S C/P S/P Lib O/S Stage Music

Publisher
Octava