''The Land of Smiles'' (German: ') is a 1929 romantic

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

Franz Lehár Franz Lehár ( ; hu, Lehár Ferenc ; 30 April 1870 – 24 October 1948) was an Austro-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas, of which the most successful and best known is ''The Merry Widow'' (''Die lustige Witwe''). Life ...

. The German language

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 ...

was by and

Fritz Löhner-Beda Fritz Löhner-Beda (24 June 1883 – 4 December 1942), born Bedřich Löwy, was an Austrian librettist, lyricist and writer. Once nearly forgotten, many of his songs and tunes remain popular today. He was murdered in Auschwitz III Monowitz concen ...

. The performance duration is about 100 minutes. This was one of Lehár's later works, and has a bittersweet ending which the Viennese loved. The title refers to the supposed Chinese custom of smiling, whatever happens in life. (The leading character, Prince Sou-Chong has a song early in the show, "" ("Always smiling") which describes this.)

The ''Tauberlied''

Lavishly produced, the show was built largely around the performance of the tenor

Richard Tauber Richard Tauber (16 May 1891 – 8 January 1948) was an Austrian tenor and film actor. Early life Richard Tauber was born in Linz, Austria, to Elisabeth Seifferth (née Denemy), a widow and an actress who played soubrette roles at the local theat ...

, a close friend of Lehár, for whom he customarily wrote a ' – a signature tune exploiting the exceptional qualities of his voice – in each of his later operettas. On this occasion it was "

Dein ist mein ganzes Herz "Yours Is My Heart Alone" or "You Are My Heart's Delight" (German: "") is an aria from the 1929 operetta '' The Land of Smiles'' (') with music by Franz Lehár and the libretto by Fritz Löhner-Beda and . It was for many years associated with the ...

" ("You are my heart's delight"), probably the most famous of all the '. Tauber also appeared in the show in London, singing many encores of his song.

Performance history

The work was originally produced under the title ' (''The Yellow Jacket''). This was presented at the , Vienna, on 9 February 1923 with

Hubert Marischka Hubert Marischka (27 August 1882 – 4 December 1959), brother of Ernst Marischka, was an Austrian operetta tenor, actor, film director and screenwriter. Career Marischka was born in Brunn am Gebirge, the son of Jiří (or Johann) Mari ...

as Sou-Chong. It was not a great success, and Lehár later revised it, under the new title of ', which was first performed, at the , on 10 October 1929. Tauber reprised his role in London (1931 and 1932) South Africa (1939) and New York (1946), as well as in Vienna in 1930 (again at the ) and in 1938 (at the

Vienna State Opera The Vienna State Opera (, ) is an opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by August S ...

and also in Prague). Tauber also sang it in London and on tour throughout Britain between 1940 and 1942. The opera was first staged in the United States at the

Boston Opera House The Boston Opera House, also known as the Citizens Bank Opera House, is a performing arts and esports venue located at 539 Washington St. in Boston, Massachusetts. It was originally built as the B.F. Keith Memorial Theatre, a movie palace in ...

in 1933 with soprano

Nancy McCord Nancy McCord (died July 8, 1974, Arcadia, California) was an American soprano and actress who had an active career in opera, musical theatre, and vaudeville during the 1920s, 1930s and early 1940s. She appeared in operettas and musicals on Broa ...

as Lisa.

Sadler's Wells Opera English National Opera (ENO) is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with The Royal Opera. ENO's productions are sung in English. ...

produced it in London in the late 1950s, after the success of Lehár's ''

The Merry Widow ''The Merry Widow'' (german: Die lustige Witwe, links=no ) is an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt t ...

'' starring

June Bronhill June Mary Bronhill (26 June 192924 January 2005), also known as June Gough, was an Australian coloratura soprano opera singer, performer and actress, She was well known for light opera, operetta and musical theatre in London West End theatr ...

had rescued the company from bankruptcy. Starring Charles Craig,

Elizabeth Fretwell Betty Drina Fretwell (13 August 1920 – 5 June 2006), known professionally as Elizabeth Fretwell, was an Australian soprano. She was the prima donna at London's Sadler's Wells Opera (English National Opera) through much of the 1950s and 1960s. ...

and Bronhill, the show did not attract the same audiences as ''The Merry Widow''. In 2017 Opernhaus Zürich performed ''Das Land des Lächelns'' and recorded it to DVD and Bluray. During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, they shared the recording for free to allow those in isolation to enjoy the opera.

Roles

Synopsis

The operetta is set in Vienna and China in 1912. In act 1 in Vienna, the heroine Countess Lisa marries a Chinese prince and returns with him to his homeland despite the warnings of her friends and family. In act 2, in Peking, she finds that she is unable to come to terms with his culture, and especially that he must take other wives. He assures her that it is just a formality, but unhappiness is inevitable, and she is locked in the palace. Her love changes to hate. In act 3, Prince Sou-Chong is left alone while his beloved Lisa returns to her homeland. His sister, Princess Mi had also become attached to the Viennese official Gustav, and so the ending is doubly sad. But the prince respects the rule of his custom: always smile.

Film adaptations

The operetta was adapted into film several times. * ''

The Land of Smiles ''The Land of Smiles'' (German: ') is a 1929 romantic operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár. The German language libretto was by and Fritz Löhner-Beda. The performance duration is about 100 minutes. This was one of Lehár's later works, and ...

'' (1930) directed by

Max Reichmann Max Reichmann (1884-1958) was a German film director active during the silent and early sound eras. Before making his own films, Reichmann worked as an assistant director on several E.A. Dupont productions. After graduating to directing, he dire ...

and starring

. Hella Kürty and Willi Stettner reprised their original stage roles of Mi and Gustl, while Lisa was sung by Margit Suchy, replacing

Vera Schwarz Vera Schwarz (10 July 1888 - 4 December 1964) was an Austrian soprano, known primarily for her operetta partnership with Richard Tauber. Life Vera Schwarz was born in Zagreb, the daughter of Hungarian-Croatian aviation pioneer David Schwarz ...

who had sung in the original Berlin stage production. * ''

'' (1952) directed by

Hans Deppe Hans Deppe (; 12 November 1897 – 23 September 1969) was a German actor and film director. Filmography As director As actor References External links * 1897 births 1969 deaths German male film actors German television dire ...

and

Erik Ode Erik Ode (born Fritz Erik Signy Odemar, 6 November 1910 – 19 July 1983) was a German director and actor who was most famous for playing Kommissar ''Herbert Keller'' in the German television drama '' Der Kommissar'' (The Police Inspector). He mar ...

and starring Mártha Eggerth and

Jan Kiepura Jan Wiktor Kiepura (May 16, 1902 – August 15, 1966) was a Polish singer (tenor) and actor. Life and career Jan Kiepura was born in Sosnowiec, Poland, the son of Miriam (née Neuman), a former professional singer, and Franciszek Kiepura, a b ...

. * In 1961,

Gerhard Riedmann Gerhard Riedmann (1925–2004) was an Austrian film actor. He was married to the actress Eva Probst. Partial filmography * ''Das andere Leben'' (1948) - (uncredited) * ''Child of the Danube'' (1950) - Bit Part (uncredited) * ' (1951) - Max' Fre ...

appeared in a television film where his singing voice was supplied by

Fritz Wunderlich Friedrich "Fritz" Karl Otto Wunderlich (26 September 1930 – 17 September 1966) was a German lyric tenor, famed for his singing of the Mozart repertory and various lieder. He died in an accident aged 35. Biography Wunderlich was born in Kusel in ...

. * Another television version was filmed in 1974 with

René Kollo René Kollo (born 20 November 1937) is a German operatic tenor, especially known for his Wagnerian Heldentenor roles. He also performed a wide variety of operas and operettas, and made several recordings. Biography Born René Kollodzieyski in ...

Dagmar Koller Dagmar Koller (born 26 August 1939) is an Austrian actress and singer. Born in Klagenfurt, she is recognized as the leading German language musical star of her time. She married Austrian journalist and politician, Helmut Zilk, in 1978, and bec ...

Heinz Zednik Heinz Zednik (born February 21, 1940) is an Austrian operatic buffo tenor, closely associated with the character tenor roles of Wagner such as Mime and Loge (''Der Ring des Nibelungen'') and David ('' Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg''). He is al ...

, directed by

Arthur Maria Rabenalt Arthur Maria Rabenalt (25 June 1905 – 26 February 1993) was an Austrian film director, writer, and author. He directed more than 90 films between 1934 and 1978. His 1958 film ''That Won't Keep a Sailor Down'' was entered into the 1st Moscow I ...

. *A version for Australian television aired in 1962.

Recordings

*1930:

Paul Dessau Paul Dessau (19 December 189428 June 1979) was a German composer and conductor. He collaborated with Bertolt Brecht and composed incidental music for his plays, and several operas based on them. Biography Dessau was born in Hamburg into a ...

; Richard Tauber (Sou-Chong), Margit Suchy (Lisa), Hella Kürty (Mi), Willy Stettner (Gustl), Georg John (Tschang); Label: Koch 3-1373-2 (CD) *1954: Otto Ackermann,

Philharmonia Orchestra The Philharmonia Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It was founded in 1945 by Walter Legge, a classical music record producer for EMI. Among the conductors who worked with the orchestra in its early years were Richard Strauss, W ...

;

Nicolai Gedda Harry Gustaf Nikolai Gädda, known professionally as Nicolai Gedda (11 July 1925 – 8 January 2017), was a Swedish operatic tenor. Debuting in 1951, Gedda had a long and successful career in opera until the age of 77 in June 2003, when he made h ...

(Sou-Chong),

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf Dame Olga Maria Elisabeth Friederike Schwarzkopf, (9 December 19153 August 2006) was a German-born Austro-British soprano. She was among the foremost singers of lieder, and is renowned for her performances of Viennese operetta, as well as the op ...

(Lisa),

Erich Kunz Erich Kunz (20 May 1909 in Vienna – 8 September 1995 in Vienna) was an Austrian operatic baritone, particularly associated with the roles of Papageno and Beckmesser. Life and career Born in Vienna, Kunz was educated at the Vienna Music Acad ...

(Gustav),

Emmy Loose Emmy Loose (22 January 1914 in Chabařovice – 14 October 1987 in Vienna) was an Austrian operatic soprano particularly associated with soubrette roles. After vocal studies in Prague Conservatory, she made her stage debut in Hanover as Blonche ...

(Mi). Originally on Columbia LPs 33CX 1114-5, various CD reissues. *1957: Jésus Etcheverry, Grand Orchestre et Choeurs René Alix, Tony Poncet (Sou-Chong),

Renée Doria Renée Doria (13 February 1921 – 6 March 2021) was a French opera singer, one of the leading lyric coloratura sopranos of her era in France. Biography Born Renée Dumazert in Perpignan, France, after a thorough musical training (piano, solfeg ...

(Lisa), Henri Gui (Gustav), Lucie Dolène (Mi); Label: Philips CD 442 241-2 highlights only, in French *1961:

Franz Marszalek Franz Marszalek (born 2 August 1900 in Breslau, Schlesien, Germany (now Wrocław, Silesia, Poland); died 28 October 1975 in Cologne, Germany) was a German conductor and composer, who was a leading figure in operetta. He began his studies in Wro ...

WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne The WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne (German: WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln) is a German radio orchestra based in Cologne, where the orchestra mainly performs at two concert halls: the WDR Funkhaus Wallrafplatz and the Kölner Philharmonie. Histo ...

;

(Sou-Chong),

Antonia Fahberg Antonia Fahberg (also: Antonie; 19 May 1928 in Vienna, Austria – 21 October 2016 in Munich, Germany) was an Austrian lyric soprano in opera and concert. Her career focused on the Bavarian State Opera where she sang for 25 years. She performed ...

(Lisa), Luise Cramer (Mi), Ernst Stankovski (Gustl), André Peysang (Tschang); Label: Gala Gl329 (CD) *June 1967: , Symphonie-Orchester Graunke;

(Sou-Chong),

Anneliese Rothenberger Anneliese Rothenberger (19 June 191924 May 2010) was a German operatic soprano who had an active international performance career which spanned from 1942 to 1983. She specialized in the lyric coloratura soprano repertoire, and was particularly adm ...

(Lisa),

Renate Holm Renate Holm (10 August 1931 – 21 April 2022) was a German-Austrian film actress and operatic soprano. She worked as a dentists' assistant and took private singing lessons, resulting in performances in musical films and schlager. She made her ...

(Mi),

Harry Friedauer Harry Friedauer (7 July 1927 – 14 October 1985Elsewhere incorrectly given 1986 as the year of death and Munich as the place of death) was a German actor and operetta singer (tenor). Life and career Born in Karlsruhe, Friedauer was drafted at ...

(Gustl), Jobst Moeller (Tschang); Label: EMI CMS 5 65372 2 (CD), CDMB 65372 (CD) *April 1970: Yvon Leenart, Orchestre de l'Association des Concerts Lamoureux; Bernard Sinclair (Sou-Chong), Bernadette Antoine (Lisa), Sylvia Paule (Mi),

Michel Dens Michel Dens (22 June 1911 in Roubaix – 19 December 2000 in Paris) was a French baritone, particularly associated with the French repertory, both opera and operetta. Born Maurice Marcel, the son of a journalist, he studied at the Academy of ...

(Gustl), Gilbert Guimay (Tschang); Label: EMI 74097(CD), in French (''Le pays du sourire'') *1982:

Willi Boskovsky Willibald Karl Boskovsky (16 June 1909 – 21 April 1991) was an Austrian violinist and conductor, best known as the long-standing conductor of the Vienna New Year's Concert from 1955 to 1979. Biography Boskovsky was born in Vienna, and joined the ...

, Munich Radio Symphony Orchestra;

Siegfried Jerusalem Siegfried Jerusalem (born 17 April 1940) is a German operatic tenor. Closely identified with the heldentenor roles of Richard Wagner, he has performed Siegfried, Siegmund, Lohengrin, Parsifal, and Tristan to wide acclaim. Since the 1990s, he has ...

(Sou-Chong),

Helen Donath Helen Jeanette Donath (née Erwin; born July 10, 1940) is an American soprano with a career spanning fifty years. Biography She was born in Corpus Christi, Texas and studied there at Del Mar College. Later she studied in New York with Paola Nov ...

(Lisa), Brigitte Lindner (Mi), Martin Finke (Gustl),

Klaus Hirte Klaus Hirte (28 December 1937 – 15 August 2002) was a German operatic baritone. Life Training Born in Berlin, Hirte grew up in Calw, learned the profession of tool and die maker and occasionally sang entertainment songs among his friends ...

(Tschang); Label: EMI 47604(CD), EMI 66376(CD) *1996:

Richard Bonynge Richard Alan Bonynge ( ) (born 29 September 1930) is an Australian conductor and pianist. He is the widower of Australian dramatic coloratura soprano Dame Joan Sutherland. Bonynge conducted virtually all of Sutherland's operatic performances ...

, English Chamber Orchestra,

Nancy Gustafson Nancy Gustafson (born June 27, 1956, in Evanston, Illinois) is an American opera singer. She received her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College in 1978 and her M.Mus. from Northwestern University. She has appeared in numerous productions at venues bo ...

(Lisa),

Jerry Hadley Jerry Hadley (June 16, 1952 – July 18, 2007) was an American operatic tenor. He received three Grammy awards for his vocal performances in the recordings of ''Jenůfa'' (2004 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording), ''Susannah'' (1995 Grammy Awar ...

(Sou-Chong), Naomi Itami (Mi), Lynton Atkinson (Gustl) Label: Telarc CD-80419, in English There are also extracts in ''Franz Lehár Conducts Richard Tauber'' (1929–1931), with 6 tracks performed by Richard Tauber (Sou-Chong), Vera Schwarz (Lisa) and the Berlin State Opera Orchestra (Pearl CD).

References

External links

* *, Richard Tauber (1930) {{DEFAULTSORT:Land of Smiles, The 1929 operas German-language operettas Operas by Franz Lehár Operas set in China Operas Fiction set in 1912

The ''Tauberlied''

Performance history

Roles

Synopsis

Film adaptations

Recordings

References

Further reading

External links