''Old Heidelberg'' () is a German romantic play by

Wilhelm Meyer-Förster Wilhelm Meyer-Förster, also known as Samar Gregorow (12 June 1862, Hannover – 17 March 1934, Heringsdorf), was a German novelist and playwright. Biography The son of a bookseller, he first studied law, then the history of art. He later decided ...

first performed in 1901. While studying at the

Heidelberg University } Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public university, public research university in Heidelberg, B ...

, Prince Karl from

Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...

falls in love with Käthie, an innkeeper's daughter, but has to give her up when his father dies, and he is called to return to his homeland and rule as King. The play was based on Meyer-Förster's own 1898 novel '' Karl Heinrich''. The play's title alludes to a poem by

Joseph Victor von Scheffel Joseph Victor von Scheffel (16 February 1826 – 9 April 1886) was a German poet and novelist. Biography He was born at Karlsruhe. His father, a retired major in the Baden army, was a civil engineer and member of the commission for regulating the ...

. The work was a major international success and became one of the most performed plays in Germany during the first half of the 20th century.

Adaptations

Film

Owing to the story's popularity it has been turned into films on numerous occasions, including the American silent film '' Old Heidelberg'' (1915), the German silent film '' Old Heidelberg'' (1923),

Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as ...

's '' The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg'' (1926), and

Ernst Marischka Ernst Marischka (2 January 1893 – 12 May 1963) was an Austrian screenwriter and film director. He wrote for more than 90 films between 1913 and 1962. He also directed 29 films between 1915 and 1962. He wrote and directed the Sissi trilogy ...

's '' Old Heidelberg'' (1959).

Operetta

In 1924 the play provided the basis for the 1924 operetta ''

The Student Prince ''The Student Prince'' is an operetta in four acts with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly. It is based on Wilhelm Meyer-Förster's play '' Old Heidelberg''. The piece has a score with some of Romberg's most enduri ...

'' composed by

Sigmund Romberg Sigmund Romberg (July 29, 1887 – November 9, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American composer. He is best known for his musicals and operettas, particularly '' The Student Prince'' (1924), '' The Desert Song'' (1926) and '' The New Moon'' (1928). E ...

to a libretto by

Dorothy Donnelly Dorothy Agnes Donnelly (January 28, 1876 - January 3, 1928) was an actress, playwright, librettist, producer, and director. After a decade-long acting career that included several notable roles on Broadway, she turned to writing plays, musicals ...

. The operetta was the basis for the 1954 film ''

''.

Opera

In 1908, the play was the basis for a libretto by Alberto Colantuoni, titled '' Eidelberga Mia'', with music by

Ubaldo Pacchierotti Ubaldo Pacchierotti (1875/1876 – 21 April 1916) was an Italian composer who wrote several operas that were produced or published between 1899 and 1920. Pacchierotti's second work, ''L'albatro: leggenda nordica'', for at least one major reviewer ...

; it was later translated into German by Ottoman Piltz in 1909 under the original German title.

Bibliography

* Zacharasiewicz, Waldemar. ''Images of Germany in American Literature''. University of Iowa Press, 2007. *Everett, William A. & Block, Geoffrey Holden. ''Sigmund Romberg''. Yale University Press, 2007.

External links

English translation of the novelReview of a 1910 New York revival of the play
in ''The New York Times''

References

Plays by Wilhelm Meyer-Förster 1901 plays Plays based on novels Plays set in Germany German plays adapted into films {{1900s-play-stub