''Baron Trenck'' is a

comic opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...

in three acts loosely based on the life of

Baron Franz von der Trenck Baron Franz von der Trenck (German: ''Franz Freiherr von der Trenck'', Croatian: ''Barun Franjo Trenk'') (Reggio di Calabria. January 1, 1711 – Brno. October 4, 1749) was an Austrian soldier. Early life Trenck was born into a military no ...

. The original German-language work was composed by Felix Albini to a libretto by

Alfred Maria Willner Alfred Maria Willner (11 July 1859 – 27 October 1929) was an Austrian writer, philosopher, musicologist, composer and librettist. Biography Alfred Maria Willner was born and died in Vienna. He began composing mostly music for the piano and eve ...

and

Robert Bodanzky Robert Bodanzky, also known as Danton (born Isidor Bodanskie, 8 March 1879 – 2 November 1923), was an Austrian journalist, playwright, poet and artist. While he became famous for his apolitical poems before World War I, he turned an anarchist ...

and premiered at the Stadttheater in

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...

in 1908. The English version, adapted by Frederick Franklin Schrader and

Henry Blossom Henry Martyn Blossom (May 10, 1866 – March 23, 1919) was an American playwright and lyricist. Biography Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he teamed with Victor Herbert on several popular operettas. His first Broadway musical project was ''The Yank ...

, ran for just 43 performances at the Strand Theatre in London in 1911. It starred

Walter Passmore Walter Henry Passmore (10 May 1867 – 29 August 1946) was an English singer and actor best known as the first successor to George Grossmith in the comic baritone roles in Gilbert and Sullivan operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Passmo ...

Walter Hyde Walter Hyde (6 February 1875 – 11 November 1951) was a British tenor, actor and teacher of voice whose career spanned genres from musical theatre to grand opera. In 1901 he sang Borrachio in the premiere of Stanford's ''Much Ado About Noth ...

and

Caroline Hatchard Caroline Gertrude Hatchard (12 October 1883 – 7 January 1970) was a British soprano, musical theatre and opera singer of the 20th-century who was the first English-born and trained soprano to be engaged by the Royal Opera House in Covent Ga ...

Production

Based on a 1908 German work of the same name first performed at the Stadttheater in

, ''Baron Trenck'' ran at the Whitney Theatre (Novello Theatre, Strand Theatre) from 22 April 22nd to 3 June 1911. The original score was by Felix Albini with additional music by Alfred G. Robyn to a book and lyrics by

and

. The English version was adapted by Frederick Franklin Schrader and

, while the Director and choreographer was Al Holbrook and the Musical Director was Antonio de Novellis. When Fred Whitney took over the lease of the Waldorf/Strand Theatre he chose to rename it the Whitney, opening his first season with ''Baron Trenck''. The opening night audience were not enthusiastic with some booing during the third act at what ''

The Stage ''The Stage'' is a British weekly newspaper and website covering the entertainment industry and particularly theatre. It was founded in 1880. It contains news, reviews, opinion, features, and recruitment advertising, mainly directed at those wh ...

'' called the "weak, heavy and uninteresting" book. However, ''The Stage'' praised the music and the general performance with ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'' writing that

performed "heroically".

was "a bewitching Countess Lydia, at her wit's end over the constant dallying of her rapscallion lover, Trenck ... she acts interestingly, but her voice, admirably and so easily used by turns for comedy, tenderness and passion, would win its way anywhere." Various cut and alterations were made in an attempt to improve the show but despite these it ran for just 43 performances. The

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

production opened at the Casino Theatre in New York from 11 March to 13 April 1912 where it did even less well – running for just 40 performances.

Synopsis

The story is loosely based on the life of

. The

is set in Austria in 1743 during the reign of

Marie Therese of Austria Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (german: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was ruler of the Habsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position ''suo jure'' (in her own right). ...

. Two of Baron Trenck's tenants, Nikola and Mariza, have avoided the Baron's seigniorial rights (in this sanitized version the Baron has the right to kiss the bride), by getting married without his permission. Meanwhile, the Baron saves Countess Lydia from being kidnapped by Alla Wunja and his band of marauding Haiduks. Wanting a kiss as his reward the Countess flees on horseback, assisted by Nikola and Mariza. All later meet at the Empress's chateau, where Lydia, who secretly loves the Baron, is coerced by her Aunt Cornelia into accepting the marriage proposal of the elderly French Ambassador, the Marquis de Bouillaibaise. In a sudden twist the show ends with Countess Lydia and Baron Trenck joined together.

Cast

– Nikola *

Marie George Marie George (born Clara Marie Georg; 25 June 1876 – 15 July 1955) was an American actress, singer and stage beauty who had a successful career first in New York City and later in London, England during the Edwardian era. Early life Mari ...

– Mariza *

– Baron Trenck *

– Countess Lydia * William McLaughlin – Alla Wunja (Chief of the Haiduks) *

Herbert Sparling Herbert Sparling (1864–1944) was a British comedy and musical theatre actor and director. In 1889 Sparling was sued for breach of contract at Brompton County Court by the "dramatic author" Henry Plunkett Gratton (1808–1889), who alleged ...

– Marquis de Bouillaibaise * Molly Lowell – Cornelia *

Rutland Barrington Rutland Barrington (15 January 1853 – 31 May 1922) was an English singer, actor, comedian and Edwardian musical comedy star. Best remembered for originating the lyric baritone roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas from 1877 to 1896, his ...

– Herr Dinkelspieler-Kietzerlmayer (Master of Ceremonies, afterwards Major Domo to the Empress) * Norman Greene – Herald *

Johnny Danvers Johnny Danvers (born John Danvers Harold; December 1860 – 1 April 1939) was an English actor and comedian and music hall performer who made a number of appearances in the annual pantomime at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in the late 19th ...

– Wurzberger (a Court Poet) * Charles Ure – Count Von Grazt * Katherine Fielder – Countess Von Grazt * Zoe Gordon – Fortuna *Eleanor Wilson – First Page *Dora Christian – Second Page

J. P. Wearing John Peter Wearing (born c. 1945) is an Anglo-American theatre historian and professor, who has written numerous books and articles about nineteenth and twentieth-century drama and theatre, including ''The Shakespeare Diaries: A Fictional Autobi ...

''The London Stage 1910–1919: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel''
Rowman & Littlefield (2014) – Google Books

Songs

The songs included: Act 1: A Farmyard in Slavonia *Opening Chorus: Blend Your Voices – Mariza, Nikola, Master of Ceremonies and Chorus *Oh Save Me – Lydia, Mariza, Nikola, Master of Ceremonies *This Handsome Soldier is too Bold – Lydia, Mariza and Nikola *You Villains – Lydia, Trenck, Nikola, Alla Wunja, Haiduks Chorus Act 2: The Empress Maria Theresa's Chateau, near Vienna *How splendid these Halls – Herald and Chorus *Miriza Darling here you are – Mariza and Nikola *A Pandour Does His Duty – Mariza, Cornelia, Nikola, Wurzburger, Master of Ceremonies, Alla Wunja *Angel at Last again I Find you – Trenck and Lydia Act 3: A Room in Cornelia's Villa in Vienna *With Song and Cheer – Lydia and Chorus *Cupid is a Merry Knave – Lydia and Trenck *Rumwid i Bum – Principals and Chorus Other songs included: *Just Like You *A Kiss for a Dance *Once Upon a Time *Goodbye Baron *When a Pretty Girl Gets Married *In Merry, Merry May! *Things Romantic Are My Delight (Waltz Song) – Lydia *Trenck is My Name (March Song) – Trenck

References

External links

Photographs from the 1912 Broadway production of ''Baron Trenck''
–

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...

Digital Collections {{DEFAULTSORT:Baron Trenck 1911 operas English comic operas English-language operas Operas Operas based on real people Operas set in the 18th century Cultural depictions of military officers Cultural depictions of Austrian men Operas set in Austria 1911 musicals West End musicals Broadway musicals British musicals