''Der Bettelstudent'' (''The Beggar Student'') is an

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

in three acts by

Carl Millöcker Carl (or Karl) Joseph Millöcker ( – ), was an Austrian composer of operettas and a conductor. __NOTOC__ He was born in Vienna, where he studied the flute at the Vienna Conservatory. While holding various conducting posts in the city, h ...

with a German

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

Camillo Walzel Camillo Walzel (11 February 1829 –17 March 1895) was a German librettist and theatre director, who wrote under the pseudonym F Zell. Life and work Walzel was born in Magdeburg. In his early years, he worked in his father's lithographic factory, ...

(under the pseudonym of F. Zell) and

Richard Genée Franz Friedrich Richard Genée (7 February 1823 – 15 June 1895) was a Prussian born Austrian libretto, librettist, playwright, and composer. Life Genée was born in Gdańsk, Danzig. He died at Baden bei Wien. Works He is most famous for the ...

, based on ''Les noces de Fernande'' by

Victorien Sardou Victorien Sardou ( , ; 5 September 18318 November 1908) was a French dramatist. He is best remembered today for his development, along with Eugène Scribe, of the well-made play. He also wrote several plays that were made into popular 19th-centur ...

and ''

The Lady of Lyons ''The Lady of Lyons; or, Love and Pride'', commonly known as ''The Lady of Lyons'', is a five act romantic melodrama written in 1838 by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton. It was first produced in London at Covent Garden Theatre on 15 Februar ...

'' by

Edward Bulwer-Lytton Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, PC (25 May 180318 January 1873) was an English writer and politician. He served as a Whig member of Parliament from 1831 to 1841 and a Conservative from 1851 to 1866. He was Secret ...

. However, the librettists added the element of combining love and politics to the French comedy plots. It premiered in Vienna in 1882.

Performance history

The work was performed first at the

Theater an der Wien The is a historic theatre in Vienna located on the Left Wienzeile in the Mariahilf district. Completed in 1801, the theatre has hosted the premieres of many celebrated works of theatre, opera, and symphonic music. Since 2006, it has served prima ...

, Vienna, on 6 December

1882 Events January–March * January 2 ** The Standard Oil Trust is secretly created in the United States to control multiple corporations set up by John D. Rockefeller and his associates. ** Irish-born author Oscar Wilde arrives in ...

. It was a success and allowed Millöcker to retire from conducting.

Johann Strauss II Johann Baptist Strauss II (25 October 1825 – 3 June 1899), also known as Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger or the Son (german: links=no, Sohn), was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed ov ...

rejected the libretto in favor of '' A Night in Venice'', but Millöcker's work turned out to be an enduringly popular operetta, with over 5,000 productions. The piece played at the Thalia Theatre in New York City in 1883 and then in English at the Casino Theatre in 1883. It was revived in New York at least three times: in 1898 and 1899 at the Thalia Theatre, and in 1913 at the Casino Theatre. It was also performed in London at the

Alhambra Theatre The Alhambra was a popular theatre and music hall located on the east side of Leicester Square, in the West End of London. It was built originally as the Royal Panopticon of Science and Arts opening on 18 March 1854. It was closed after two yea ...

in 1884, in a four-act version. The operetta has been filmed several times – once in English (1931), and once as a silent film (1927). A 1936 German film adaptation was directed by

Georg Jacoby Georg Jacoby (23 July 1882 – 21 February 1964) was a German film director and screenwriter.Profile
, bfi.org.uk; accessed ...

, and a 1956 West German film adaptation was directed by

Werner Jacobs Werner Jacobs (1909–1999) was a German film director and film editor, editor. He was born in Berlin on the 24 April 1909. He is best known for his contributions to Modebummel (1951), Der Stern von Santa Clara (1958) and André und Ursula (1955). ...

. ''

Mazurka der Liebe ''Mazurka der Liebe'' is an East Germany, East German film. It was released in 1957. It is an adaptation of the 1882 operetta ''Der Bettelstudent''. External links

* 1957 films 1957 musical films German musical films East German films 195 ...

'' from 1957 was produced in East Germany. It has also been performed on German television. Recent productions in English include

Ohio Light Opera The Ohio Light Opera is a professional opera company based in Wooster, Ohio that performs the light opera repertory, including Gilbert and Sullivan, American, British and continental operettas, and other musical theatre works, especially of the late ...

(1996), and

Light Opera Works Music Theater Works (formerly Light Opera Works) is a resident professional not-for-profit musical theatre company in Evanston, Illinois. It was founded in 1980 by Philip Kraus, Bridget McDonough, and Ellen Dubinsky. Music Theater Works has presen ...

(1991).Light opera works
/ref>

Roles

Synopsis

:Place:

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...

, Poland :Time: 1704 DeWolf Hopper

Act 1

Colonel Ollendorf seeks revenge against Laura Nowalska, who rebuffed him with her fan, offended by his advances. Laura's mother declares that only a Pole and nobleman can be her son-in-law. He releases a seemingly penniless student and his friend (Symon and Janicki) to pose as a millionnaire and his aide, to entice the bankrupt but venerable Nowalska family. Laura agrees to marry Symon, and Janicki falls in love with Laura's sister.

Act 2

The money that the colonel supplied to Symon is just about gone and he is no longer able to keep up the appearance of nobility. He and Laura have developed genuine feelings for each other and he struggles with the decision to tell her the truth. He writes a letter confessing the ruse. The colonel senses that the letter will end the plot, and convinces Laura's mother not to open it. When the wedding ceremony is over, the colonel reveals the truth about Symon, who is subsequently driven from the palace.

Act 3

Symon is contemplating suicide, when his friend Janicki reveals that he is a Polish officer and is part of a group of patriots who are planning to capture the citadel and to reinstate King Stanislaus. The Governor-General discovers that Janicki knows the whereabouts of the Polish grand duke and bribes him with 200,000

thaler A thaler (; also taler, from german: Taler) is one of the large silver coins minted in the states and territories of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg monarchy during the Early Modern period. A ''thaler'' size silver coin has a diameter of ...

s to reveal his location to the Austrians. Janicki asks Symon to impersonate the grand duke until the money for his capture can be paid. The plot succeeds. In return, he is knighted by King Stanislaus and accepted by his wife and mother-in-law.

Musical numbers

Act 1 *"Ach unsre Lieben sperrte man ein": Introduction – Chorus *"Und da soll man noch galant sein – Ach ich hab' sie ja nur auf die Schulter geküßt": Ollendorf (the "Kiss on the Shoulder" waltz) *"Die Welt hat das genialste Streben": Entrance duet – Symon – Jan – Chorus *"O Juchheissa, hurra! Die Messe beginnt": Chorus and ensemble *"Einkäufe machen sollten wir eigentlich": Entrance trio – Laura – Bronislawa – Palmatica *"Das ist der Fürst Wybicki" *"Bravo! Bravo! Es geht ganz famos" *"Ich knüpfte manche zarte Bande": Ensemble and song – Ollendorf – Laura – Bronislawa – Symon – Jan – Palmatica – Chorus *"Du bist die Seine? – Höchste Lust und tiefstes Leid – Bei solchem Feste": Finale act 1 – Palmatica – Laura – Symon – Bronislawa – Ollendorf – Jan – Enterich – Chorus Act 2 *"O einen Mann hat sie (hab' ich) gefunden": Trio – Palmatica – Bronislawa – Laura *"O durch diesen Kuß sei unser Bund geweiht!": Duet – Jan – Bronislawa *"Soll ich reden, darf ich schweigen? – Ich setz' den Fall": Duet – Symon – Laura *"Glückliche Braut! Dir strahlet hell das Leben": Ensemble – Symon – Ollendorf – Palmatica – Jan – Laura – Chorus *"Mit Geld und guten Worten": Couplet – Ollendorf *"Klinget, Feierglocken, klinget!" *"Trinkt uns zu, trinkt uns zu" *Tempo di Mazur *"Heidahi, heidaha! Sind wer och nich invidiert..." *"Ach, ich hab' sie ja nur auf die Schulter geküßt": Finale act 2 – Ollendorf – Symon – Enterich – Laura – Bronislawa – Palmatica – Jan – Chorus Act 3 *"Lumpen, Bagage, Bettelstudent!" *"Der Fürst soll nur ein Bettler sein": Introduction – Bronislawa – Chorus *"Ich hab' kein Geld, bin vogelfrei": Couplet – Symon *"Still, man kommt! – Dort steht der Patron!" *"Die halbe Stunde ist vorbei" *"Jetzt lach' ich jeglicher Gefahr": Ensemble – Ollendorf – Palmatica – Symon – Jan – Laura – Bronislawa – Chorus *"Befreit das Land! Geknüpft das Band!": Finale act 3 – Symon – Laura – Bronislawa – Jan – Palmatica – Chorus

Recordings

*1955: Conductor Anton Paulik, Volksoper Chorus and Orchestra, , Eberhard Wächter,

Rosette Anday Piroska Anday (12 December 1899, in Budapest – 22 December 1977, in Vienna) known as Rosette Anday, was a leading Hungarian mezzo-soprano. Life On 23 September 1921, Bizet's opera '' Carmen'' was performed at the Vienna State Opera and a hit ...

, Wilma Lipp and Esther Réthy.