|
Title |
|
Der Bettelstudent |
| Composer |
|
Carl Millöcker (1842 - 1899) |
| Librettists |
|
F. Zell (pseudonym
of Camillo Walzel) and
Richard Genée |
| Genre |
|
Light opera in
3 acts, 4 scenes. |
| First
performance |
|
6 December 1882, Theater an der Wien,
Vienna. |
| Time of action |
|
1704 in the
city of Cracow, Poland, during the reign of
August II, Elector of Saxony |
| Place of action |
|
- first scene: courtyard of citadel of
Cracow
second scene: spring fair in market-place in Cracow
- Hall in the house of the Nowalska
family
- Garden of the same house.
|
| Main parts |
|
| Countess Palmatica Nowalska |
contralto or mezzo-soprano |
| Laura, her elder daughter |
soprano |
| Bronislawa, her younger
daughter |
soprano |
| Colonel Ollendorf |
baritone |
| Jan Janicki |
2nd tenor |
| Symon Rymanowicz |
1st tenor |
|
|
Prominence of chorus |
|
Chorus very
prominent. |
|
Orchestra |
|
2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets,
2 bassoons, 4 French horns,
2 trumpets, 3 trombones, kettle-drums, percussion, strings.. |
| Special
demands |
|
Stage band
required in finale I. The work is not particularly difficult to perform. |
|
Full score and orchestral parts |
|
Available.. |
| Length |
|
Three acts;
total time: about 2½ hours.. |
| Music |
|
One of the most popular works in the German
repertoire. Many familiar tunes. |
| Story |
|
Colonel Ollendorf takes revenge for a blow Laura
Nowalska dealt him with her fan. He gets a penniless student from prison and
passes him off as a millionnaire to the old but bankrupt Nowalska family.
Thus he almost brings about their downfall, but of course there is a happy
ending. |
|
Costumes |
|
The opera is often done in Louis XV style (white
wigs etc). This is not really right. The historical setting is clearly
indicated: Cracow, 1704. The style of the period of Louis XIV would be more
correct, with "allonge" wigs and costumes as seen in a Molière
comedy. |
