''Gasparone'' is an

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs and including dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, and length of the work. Apart from its shorter length, the oper ...

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, he ...

to a German

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) 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 th ...

by Friedrich Zell and Richard Genée. The libretto was later revised by and . An amusing feature of the work is that the title character never appears and acts as a scapegoat upon which all the misdeeds in

Syracuse, Sicily Syracuse ( ; ; ) is a historic city on the Italian island of Sicily, the capital of the Italian province of Syracuse. The city is notable for its rich Greek and Roman history, culture, amphitheatres, architecture, and as the birthplace ...

, can be blamed.

Performance history

The opera had its premiere on 26 January 1884 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 prim ...

, Vienna. It was subsequently given in Berlin at the Friedrich-Wilhelmstädtisches Theater on September 26, 1884, and in New York City in German at the Thalia Theater in 1885 and in English at the Standard Theatre in 1885 and again in 1887 with

Lillian Russell Lillian Russell (born Helen Louise Leonard; December 4, 1860 or 1861 – June 6, 1922) was an American actress and singer. She became one of the most famous actresses and singers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, praised for her beaut ...

as Carlotta, Eugène Oudin as Count Erminio and

J. H. Ryley John Handford Ryley (11 September 1841Kurt Gänzl, Gänzl, Kurt"J H Ryley: setting at least some of the record straight ..." Kurt of Gerolstein, 13 May 2018 – 28 July 1922) was an English singer and actor, best known for his performances in th ...

. After its debut, Millöcker revised the piece, creating eight versions. However, the most commonly used performing edition is that prepared in 1932 by the composer Ernst Steffan. This version includes "Dunkelrote Rosen" which Millöcker wrote as a vocal trio in the operetta ''Der Vizeadmiral''. Ernst Steffan expanded the piece and Paul Knefler wrote new lyrics. Nevertheless, as Andrew Lamb has pointed out, this revision introduced new material and "reduced the effectiveness of Millöcker's comic-opera structures" in order to suit the taste of the 1930s.

Roles

Synopsis

:Place: Mediterranean coast near the town of

:Time: 1820 The mayor, Baboleno Nasoni, is short of cash. He wants his son, Sindulfo, to marry the wealthy countess, then spend some of her money to pay his own bills. He leans on the innkeeper, Benozzo, who owes him back mortgage payments. The innkeeper can make ends meet only by petty smuggling as Gasparone, which is soon discovered by a visiting nobleman who makes him set up a prank by which the nobleman can win the attentions of the countess. The mayor perceives the mutual affections of the countess and the nobleman as interfering with his plans, suggesting the nobleman might be Gasparone. When the mayor's son treats the innkeepers' wife badly, and the innkeeper is put upon by the nobleman to pay another prank on the mayor, the innkeeper plots revenge as Gasparone. When the mayor's son is to marry the wealthy countess, the innkeeper kidnaps the mayor's son and his wife plays a trick to get the carriage transporting the marriage official to drive away with the marriage official still sitting in it. The nobleman proposes to the countess twice, once just as the marriage of the countess to the mayor's son is announced and once when the wedding guests show up but the groom doesn't. The innkeeper bursts in on the wedding guests and pretends he needs ten thousand to rescue the kidnapped mayor's son, planning to use some of it to pay off his back mortgage and the rest to support his wife. His wife catches him in this lie and insists he change his ways. The countess' duenna and the mayor fancy each other. The duenna approaches the nobleman with the idea that everyone might end up with the love of their life if only there was a way to convince the mayor that the countess has no way of actually getting her hands on her millions. The nobleman bursts in on the countess pretending to be a masked bandit, and fantasy role plays that she should convince the mayor that her millions were stolen by Gasparone. The search for Gasparone intensifies. The mayor's son is convinced by the innkeeper that he could worm his way out his comic pickle by walking around with a gun borrowed from one of the smugglers and fib that he shot Gasparone single-handedly. The mayor and the duenna will marry. The countess and the nobleman will marry. The innkeeper and his wife are offered the ten thousand unused/phoney ransom as their gift to pay off the mortgage on the inn and close down the petty smuggling operation.

Film version

A film version was made in Germany in 1937. It was produced by Max Pfeiffer and directed by

Georg Jacoby Georg Jacoby (23 July 1882 – 21 February 1964) was a German film director and screenwriter.Profile
, bfi.org.uk; accessed 1 ...

, with

Marika Rökk Marika Rökk (; born Marie Karoline Rökk, 3 November 1913 – 16 May 2004) was a German-Austrian dancer, singer and actress of Hungarian descent who gained prominence in Cinema of Germany, German films in the Nazism and cinema, Nazi era. She res ...

(Ita),

Johannes Heesters Johan Marius Nicolaas Heesters (5 December 1903 – 24 December 2011), known professionally as Johannes Heesters, was a Dutch-German actor of stage, television and film, as well as a vocalist of numerous recordings and performer on the conce ...

(Erminio), Heinz Schorlemmer (Sindulfo), Edith Schollwer (Carlotta),

Oskar Sima Oskar Sima (31 July 1896 – 24 June 1969) was an Austrian actor who is best remembered for appearing in supporting roles in countless comedy films from the 1930s to the 1960s. Born in Hohenau an der March, Lower Austria, Sima attended high sc ...

(Massaccio), Leo Slezak (Nasoni), Rudolf Platte (Benozzo),

Elsa Wagner Elsa Wagner (24 January 1881 – 17 August 1975) was a German actress who appeared in numerous theatrical productions and feature films during the 20th century, including 1920's ''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari''. Life and career Born as Elisabe ...

(Zenobia), and

Ursula Herking Ursula Herking (28 January 1912 – 17 November 1974) was a German film actress. She appeared in more than 130 films between 1933 and 1972. She was born in Dessau, Germany and died in Munich, West Germany. Selected filmography * '' Susanne ...

(Sora). Karl Paryla directed another film version in 1956. Television versions were made in 1962 by

Hans Hollmann Hans Erich (Eric) Hollmann (4 November 1899 – 19 November 1960) was a German electronic specialist who made several breakthroughs in the development of radar. Hollmann was born in Solingen, Germany. He became interested in radio and even as ...

and in 1972 by

Wolfgang Liebeneiner Wolfgang Georg Louis Liebeneiner (6 October 1905 – 28 November 1987) was a German actor, film director and theatre director. Beginnings He was born in Lubawka, Liebau in Prussian Silesia. In 1928, he was taught by Otto Falckenberg, the directo ...

References

External links

''Gasparone'' synopsis
*
Information about ''Gasparone'' in German

Analysis of the film version in the context of the rise of Nazi culture
* ,

Hermann Prey Hermann Prey ( Berlin, 11 July 1929 – Krailling, 22 July 1998) was a German lyric baritone, who was equally at home in the Lied, operatic and concert repertoires. His American debut was in November 1952, with the Philadelphia Orchestra and ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gasparone Operas by Carl Millöcker German-language operettas Operas Operas set in Sicily Operas set in the 19th century 1884 operas Singspiele