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 ...
by Miksa Bródy and Ferenc Martos, with music by
Victor Jacobi
Victor Jacobi (22 October 1883 – 10 December 1921) was a Hungarian operetta composer.
He studied at the Zeneakadémia (Academy of Music) in Budapest at the same time as the noted Hungarian composers Imre Kálmán and Albert Szirmai. Jaco ...
. First performed on February 27, 1914, at the Királyszinház (King's Theatre) in Budapest starring
Sári Fedák
Sári Fedák (Born Sarolta Klára Mária Fedák; 27 September 1879, Beregszász present-day Berehove, Ukraine – 05 May 1955, Budapest, Hungary) was a Hungarian actress and singer, one of the most well-known prima donnas of her time. Accordin ...
in the title role, it rapidly made its way around Europe. An English-language version by Harry Graham, entitled Sybil and containing additional numbers by Jacobi to lyrics by
Harry B. Smith
Harry Bache Smith (December 28, 1860 – January 1, 1936) was a writer, lyricist and composer. The most prolific of all American stage writers, he is said to have written over 300 librettos and more than 6000 lyrics. Some of his best-known works ...
, was first performed on January 10, 1916 at the Liberty Theatre in New York, with
Julia Sanderson
Julia Sanderson (born Julia Ellen Sackett; August 27, 1887 – January 27, 1975) was a Broadway actress and singer. In 1887, she was born in Springfield, Massachusetts to parents Albert H. Sackett (also a Broadway actor) and Jeanette Elvira San ...
. Graham's version was later introduced by the George Edwardes Company at the Prince's Theatre, Manchester on 26 December 1920, and at Daly's Theatre in London on 19 February 1921, with
José Collins
Charlotte Josephine Collins (23 May 1887 – 6 December 1958) was an English actress and singer known by her stage name, José Collins, who was celebrated for her performances in musical comedies, such as the long-running ''The Maid of the Mo ...
as Sybil.
Synopsis
Act 1
The Grand Hotel of a provincial, Russian town. Szibill (or "Sybil") Renaud is a young French singer recently arrived in Bomsk (
Tomsk
Tomsk ( rus, Томск, p=tomsk, sty, Түң-тора) is a city and the administrative center of Tomsk Oblast in Russia, located on the Tom River. Population:
Founded in 1604, Tomsk is one of the oldest cities in Siberia. The city is a not ...
). She encounters the army Lieutenant Paul Petrov, a guards officer who fell in love with her in
St Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
and who has now deserted his regiment, begging Szibill to run away with him back to Paris. When the town Governor arrives with a warrant to arrest Petrov, Szibill protests so strongly that the governor thinks she must be the Grand Duchess who is expected to arrive in the city that day with her husband the Grand Duke Constantine. Szibill goes along with the deception; and after a series of close shaves also involving her manager Poire and his young wife Margot (Charlotte in the Hungarian original), the Governor leaves with his troop of hussars, while Szibill leaves for a ball, still pretending to be the Grand Duchess. Finally the Grand Duke himself arrives. Puzzled to find that his "wife's" shawl (which in her hurry Szibill has left behind) is not one he recognises, he too leaves for the reception.
Act 2
That evening, at the ball in the Governor's palace. The Grand Duke arrives but decides to play along with Szibill's deception that she is his wife, taking the opportunity to press for her favours. Szibill becomes very nervous and sends Petrov to find the real Grand Duchess (Anna) back at the hotel. When Anna sweeps into the ball, she is announced as Madame Sybill Renaud of the Opéra-Comique, Paris. Taken aback, The Grand Duke becomes jealous: he returns to the hotel with Szibill, leaving his wife to come back with Petrov.
Act 3
At the Grand Hotel. The Grand Duke apologises to Szibill for his unwanted advances, while Anna's jealousy is calmed by Petrov. Poire and Margot (who had apparently been seduced by the Governor) sort out their differences too, Szibill succeeds in obtaining a pardon for Petrov's desertion, and all ends happily as the singer looks forward to an unclouded new life with her lover in Paris.
Chandos Records
Chandos Records is a British independent classical music recording company based in Colchester. It was founded in 1979 by Brian Couzens.New York Times'' (January 11, 1916) "'Sybil Presented with Three Stars" *