Kálmán_Imre_cropped_(Willinger_Vilmos,_1924)

''Der Zigeunerprimas'' (''The Gypsy Band Leader'', known as ''Sari'' and ''The Gypsy Virtuoso'' in English speaking countries) is a three-act

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 ...

, which was composed by Emmerich Kálmán. The

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 written by and

Fritz Grünbaum Franz Friedrich 'Fritz' Grünbaum (7 April 1880 in Brünn (Brno), Moravia – 14 January 1941 at the Dachau concentration camp, Germany) was an Austrian Jewish cabaret artist, operetta and popular song writer, actor, and master of ceremonies ...

. It premiered at the in Vienna on 11 October 1912. In 1929 it was adapted into a German silent film '' The Gypsy Chief'' directed by

Carl Wilhelm Carl Wilhelm (born 1872 in Vienna; died in London 1936), was a prolific German film director, film producer and screenwriter of the silent film era, at the end of which his career apparently entirely faded away and he vanished into obscurity. L ...

Roles

Synopsis

Pali Rácz, a thrice-widowed gypsy violinist, is adored by women and hailed widely as a virtuoso. His daughter Sari cares for their large family. His young son Laczi is also a violinist, but has chosen to forsake his father's playing style and study classical violin at the Academy of Music. Pali wants to marry his niece, Juliska, as a companion in his old age, but she prefers his son, Laczi, and Laczi, in turn, loves her. Pali criticizes Laczi's musical talent so much, and Laczi yearns so for Juliska, that he leaves home. Reunited in Paris, father and son reconcile after Countess Irini, an old admirer, convinces Pali not to interfere with the course of Laczi and Juliska's relationship. Irini's grandson marries Sari.

Recordings

Josef Metternich Josef Metternich (2 June 1915, in Cologne – 21 February 2005, in Feldafing) was a German operatic baritone. Metternich also appeared at the Royal Opera House in London, La Scala in Milan, and made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York ...

, Julius Katona, Annemarie Jürgens, , Daue, – Westdeutscher Rundfunk – Franz Marszalek – 1949 * Thompson, Meacham, Lengfelder – Ohio Light Opera – McMahon – 2001 (0098). * Gabriele Rossmanith, Edith Lienbacher, Roberto Saccà, ; Claus Peter Flor – Classic Produktion Osnabrück 058-2-2003

Radio adaptation

''Sari'' was presented on '' The Railroad Hour'' on 17 March 1952. Baritone Gordon MacRae and soprano Margaret Truman starred in the episode, which also featured Carmen Dragon's orchestra and Norman Luboff's chorus.

Notes and references

Sources

*Myers, Eric (2002)
"Kalman: ''Der Zigeunerprimas''
''

Opera News ''Opera News'' is an American classical music magazine. It has been published since 1936 by the Metropolitan Opera Guild, a non-profit organization located at Lincoln Center which was founded to engender the appreciation of opera and also support ...

'', October 2002

External links

Detailed synopsis and list of musical numbers for ''Der Zigeunerprimas''
at musicaltheatreguide.com * {{DEFAULTSORT:Zigeunerprimas, Der Operas by Emmerich Kálmán German-language operettas 1912 operas Operas set in Hungary Fictional representations of Romani people Operas adapted into films