Meine Schwester und ich

Last updated
Meine Schwester und ich
Musical comedy by Ralph Benatzky
TranslationMy Sister and I
Librettist
  • Ralph Benatzky
  • Robert Blum
LanguageGerman
Premiere
29 March 1930 (1930-03-29)
Komödie, Berlin

Meine Schwester und ich (My Sister and I) is a musical comedy in two acts with prelude and postlude. Ralph Benatzky composed the music and also wrote the libretto together with Robert Blum. Benatzky based the work on a contemporary comedy by Georges Berr and Louis Verneuil. [1] [2] The work was premiered on 29 March 1930 in Berlin, Germany, at the Theater am Gendarmenmarkt, also known as Komödie. [3] [4]

Contents

Roles

The cast need not be made up by operatic voices; performers can be singing actors. [5]

RoleVoice type/actor type
Dolly Fleuriot, originally Princess Saint Labiche soprano Liane Haid
Dr. Roger Fleuriot, librarian tenor Oskar Karlweis
Count Lacy de Nagyfaludi buffo tenor
Filosel, owner of a shoe shopsinging comic actor Felix Bressart
Irma, saleswoman soubrette
Presiding judgetenor
Bailiff baritone
First committee memberspeaking role
Second committee memberspeaking role
Henrietta contralto
Charly, valetbaritone
customer at Filoselsilent role

Scoring

The music is scored for an orchestra of flute, two saxophones, two clarinets, bassoon, two French horns, two trumpets, oboe, harp, celeste, banjo, percussion and strings. The stage music requires a violin and a piano. [2] Compared to the revues Benatzky had been known for in the 1920s, Meine Schwester und ich is one of the pieces Benatzky wrote in a "new vein" of "smaller scale, more intellectual, more cabaret-style forms of operetta". [6]

Synopsis

The work is set in Paris and Nancy about 1930.

Prelude

Setting: Courtroom

The next case is summoned. Married couple Dolly and Dr. Roger Fleuriot appear before the judge. They want their marriage dissolved on the grounds of irreconcilable differences. The judge finds this odd, as both give the appearance of still being in love with each other. He therefore asks that they explain to him how they came to know each other and how their marriage has developed. Dr. Fleuriot complies immediately.

Act 1

Setting: Library in Chateau Saint-Labiche in Paris

Princess Dolly has inherited the chateau Saint-Labiche. The rich young lady can afford to engage her own librarian, and music scientist Roger Fleuriot has been appointed to the post. He has a secret admiration for his employer, but is far too shy to show his feelings. He comes from a poor background and regards her riches as a barrier to any relationship beyond their professional one.

Dolly would welcome an approach from her librarian. Her delicate attempts to pry him out of his shell have been unsuccessful. She has a betrothed, the rich Count Lacy, but she feels nothing more than friendship for him. She tells Lacy quite openly that she is unluckily in love with someone, but not with whom.

Roger cannot bear to meet the lady each day, one with whom he is in love but for whom he cannot declare his feelings. In order to distract himself, he has applied successfully for a professorship at the university of Nancy. Today is his last day of work at chateau Saint-Labiche. As he is saying farewell to his employer, she explains that she has a sister in Nancy, working as a saleswoman in Filosel's shoe shop. Dolly would like to send her a ring along with a letter; Roger volunteers quickly to be the messenger. He does not know that Dolly has invented the sister in order to act as her later.

Act 2

Setting: a shoe shop in Nancy

Monsieur Filosel, owner of an eponymous shoe shop, is struggling with his saleswoman Irma; she constantly daydreams of being a star in a revue. He has to drag her back down to earth frequently. When a pretty young lady appeals to him for a job, he is delighted and employs her straight away, terminating Irma's employment the next time she is away with the fairies. They part on good terms, Irma with a good reference for another job and another few hours' employment in this one.

After a short while, Dr. Fleuriot enters the shop. He recognises that the shop girl must be Dolly's sister, as the resemblance is really remarkable. It's love at first sight for him, and the sister doesn't seem to be that rich, given that she's working in a shoe shop. He immediately invites her for a glass of wine in the evening and is delighted when she does not reject him. Dolly cannot believe how well her plan is working.

Roger has barely left the store when a new customer arrives. It is Count Lacy. Someone has told him where fate has sent his betrothed and he has followed her. Irma serves him and he immediately falls for her. This girl seems to suit him so much better than Dolly. He invites her to elope with him to Monte Carlo and she does not resist; they leave the shop in high spirits.

Roger returns to pick up "the sister"; after a long kiss the couple leave the building arm in arm.

Postlude

Setting: back in the courtroom

Roger has told the whole story to the judge and now elaborates. A few weeks after the wedding, Roger discovered the truth about the "sister" and retreated into his shell again; he is uneasy with the situation.

Not only does the judge deny the application to dissolve the marriage, but talks urgently and earnestly with Roger. He should try again with his beloved; riches need not be a burden, but rather lighten the burden of life. The judge can plainly see the love between Roger and his wife, which should last a lifetime.

Hand in hand, Roger and Dolly leave the courtroom.

Musical highlights

Dolly: "Um ein bisschen Liebe dreht sich das Leben" ("The world revolves around a little love") (tango)

Roger: "Ich lade Sie ein, Fräulein" ("I invite you, Ma'am") [5]

Roger: "Mein Mädel ist nur eine Verkäuferin in einem Schuhgeschäft mit 80 Franc Salär in der Woche" ("My girl is just a sales girl in a shoe shop, with 80 francs salary per week") [5]

Film adaptations

The musical comedy was filmed in 1954, directed by Paul Martin, with Sonja Ziemann, Adrian Hoven, Herta Staal, Paul Hörbiger and Werner Fuetterer in the main roles. [7] In 1956 it was filmed again for television (black and white), this time under the direction of Franz Peter Wirth and with Anneliese Rothenberger as Dolly, Johannes Heesters as Roger and Kurt Großkurth as Filosel. Friedrich Meier arranged the music, which was performed by Erwin Lehn and his Südfunk Tanzorchester (dance orchestra of the SDR). [8]

A further TV adaptation of the operetta took place in 1975, directed by Fred Kraus  [ de ] for the ZDF, with Heidi Brühl, Béla Ernyey, Ernst H. Hilbich  [ de ], Irene Mann and Willy Millowitsch in the main roles. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Die Fledermaus</i> Comic operetta in three acts by Johann Strauss II

Die Fledermaus is an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée, which premiered in 1874.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christiane Hörbiger</span> Austrian television and film actress (1938–2022)

Christiane Hörbiger was an Austrian stage, film, and television actress. Her first major film role was Mary Vetsera in Kronprinz Rudolfs letzte Liebe in 1955. She appeared on the stage of the Burgtheater as Recha in Lessing's Nathan der Weise in 1959, became a member of Theater Heidelberg and later Schauspielhaus Zürich. From 1969 to 1972, she portrayed Die Buhlschaft in Hofmannsthal's Jedermann at the Salzburg Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pascalina Lehnert</span> German Catholic nun

Pascalina Lehnert, born Josefina Lehnert, was a German Roman Catholic sister who served as Pope Pius XII's housekeeper and secretary from his period as Apostolic Nuncio to Bavaria in 1917 until his death as pope in 1958. She managed the papal charity office for Pius XII from 1944 until the pontiff's death in 1958. She was a Sister of the Holy Cross, Menzingen order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karl Farkas</span> Austrian actor and cabaret performer

Karl Farkas was an Austrian actor and cabaret performer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph Benatzky</span> Austrian composer

Ralph Benatzky, born in Mährisch Budwitz as Rudolph Franz [František] Josef Benatzky, was an Austrian composer of Moravian origin. He composed operas and operettas, such as Casanova (1928), Die drei Musketiere (1929), Im weißen Rössl (1930) and Meine Schwester und ich (1930). He died in Zürich, Switzerland.

<i>An die ferne Geliebte</i>

An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98, is a composition by Ludwig van Beethoven written in April 1816, setting poetry by Alois Jeitteles.

The Cases of Stübing v. Germany involve a series of criminal prosecutions and appeals surrounding Patrick Stübing and Susan Karolewski, two German siblings who have had four children in an incestuous relationship with each other. Stübing has served several prison sentences for violating German laws prohibiting sexual intercourse between siblings, and Karolewski has been held under supervision for the same. The couple have been allowed to keep only their fourth child. Stübing eventually obtained a vasectomy. Their case has featured in public debate about whether sibling sexual relations should be decriminalised in Germany.

My Sister and I may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Roos</span> German singer

Mary Roos is a German singer and actress.

Türkisch für Anfänger is a German television comedy-drama series, which premiered on 14 March 2006 on Das Erste. It was created by Bora Dağtekin and produced by Hoffmann & Voges Ent.

Erich Karl Löwenberg, known as Erik Charell, was a German theatre and film director, dancer and actor. He is best known as the creator of musical revues and operettas, such as The White Horse Inn and The Congress Dances.

Dimitar Janakiew Inkiow was a Bulgarian writer.

<i>Paganini</i> (operetta)

Paganini is an operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár. The German libretto was by Paul Knepler and Bela Jenbach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silja Walter</span> Swiss novelist, poet and Benedictine nun (1919–2011)

Silja Walter was a Swiss author and Benedictine nun in the Fahr Abbey in Switzerland. Born as Cécile Walter in Rickenbach, Solothurn, in Switzerland, at the age of 30 she became a nun: her religious name was Maria Hedwig (OSB). Her brother, Otto F. Walter, was also a popular Swiss author.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fita Benkhoff</span> German actress

Fita Benkhoff was a German actress.

<i>My Sister and I</i> (1954 film) 1954 film

My Sister and I is a 1954 West German musical film directed by Paul Martin and starring Sonja Ziemann, Adrian Hoven and Herta Staal. It is based on the 1930 stage work of the same name.

Margit Schramm was a German soprano in operetta, opera and song. She also appeared as a film actress and hosted a television show. In the 1960s, she became known as an operetta diva on stage, German television, in numerous concerts and in films, where she often appeared together with her favourite stage partner, the tenor Rudolf Schock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rudolf Schanzer</span> Austrian playwright and journalist

RudolfSchanzer was an Austrian playwright and journalist. He is primarily known for the numerous operetta librettos that he wrote for composers such as Leo Fall, Jean Gilbert, Emmerich Kálmán, and Ralph Benatzky. He was born in Vienna and died in Italy where he committed suicide after his arrest by the Gestapo.

Anna Strasser was an Austrian resistance activist during World War ll who helped forced labor and concentration camp victims until her arrest in 1944.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Engel (director)</span>

Thomas Engel (1922–2015) was a German screenwriter and director of film and television. He was the son of director Erich Engel.

References

  1. "Meine Schwester und ich" (in German). Operetten-Lexikon. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Meine Schwester und ich" (in German). Operone. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  3. "Meine Schwester und ich" (PDF) (in German). Komödie am Kurfürstendamm. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  4. Schmüdderich, Ruth (1999). "Meine Schwester und ich" (in German). Online Musik Magazin. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Hoile, Christopher (28 July 2007). "Meine Schwester und ich". TheatreWorld (UK). Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  6. Clarke, Kevin (13 May 2009). "Benatzky's Der König mit dem Regenschirm for Post-Nazi Audiences". operetta-research-center.org. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  7. "Meine Schwester und ich" (in German). Lexikon des internationalen Films. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  8. "Meine Schwester und ich: Gesamtaufnahme mit Anneliese Rothenberger und Johannes Heesters" (in German). ralph-benatzky.com. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  9. Meine Schwester und ich (1975) at IMDb