The protagonist of the operetta queen of chardash 5 letters.

The history of music is as unpredictable as human life - and it happens that the most cheerful and bright works are born in difficult times. However, even this does not seem surprising when it comes to the genre of operetta, especially about such an outstanding master of this genre as he was. In 1914, he began working on one of his most famous operettas, which was called ... it is definitely impossible to say what it was called, since it had three titles. The libretto by Leo Stein, proposed to the composer, was called "Long live love!", But the public knows it under two other names - "Queen of Csardas" and "Silva".

In Europe, hostilities were already underway - but the thunder of cannons was not heard in Ischl, where he retired to work on a new composition. "Queen of Czardas" he wrote at the Villa "Rose". This place is notable not only for the fact that the future emperor Franz Joseph visited it in his childhood - many outstanding composers and musicians visited (and most importantly - worked) here: Josef Joachim. Giacomo Meyerbeer's opera The Prophet (John of Leiden) was born here. The history of the operetta is also connected with the Villa "Rose" - he created his operetta "The Count of Luxembourg" here ... And now the "Queen of Czardas" was born here.

As you know, any situation can be looked at from different angles - both tragedy and comedy can grow from the same plot motif. When looking at the plot of Kalman's creation, one cannot fail to recall such a deeply tragic Verdi opera as La Traviata: in both works we meet a heroine who belongs to the number of women despised by high society (in one case, a courtesan, in another, a variety show artist), but far not vulgar, and a respectable aristocrat in love with her, whom proud and swaggering relatives will never allow to marry such a woman. The situation in the operetta, perhaps, may seem even more acute: Edwin, who is in love with the singer Silva, is forced by his parents to marry Stassi, a girl of his circle, with whom Boni, Edwin's friend, falls in love ... In the opera (and in real life), this situation did not lead would be no good - but the operetta has its own laws: to cheerful, sparkling melodies, all dramatic ups and downs dissipate like smoke: it turns out that Edwin's mother herself performed in a variety show in her youth (and in the same one as Silva), and after the disclosure It is already inconvenient for a strict father, Prince Volapyuk, to forbid such a family secret to forbid his son to marry a singer. In the finale, two happy couples appear before us: Edwin and Silva, Boni and Stassi - love has triumphed over class prejudices!

If the original title of the operetta is “Long live love!” - perfectly reflects the essence of her plot, then the final name - "The Queen of Csardas" - perfectly characterizes her musical side: this incendiary Hungarian dance plays an important role in Kalman's creation. The outlines of chardash appear already in Silva's exit aria - "Hey-ya, oh hey-ya!": a slow, languid melody is replaced by an incendiary friska. Czardas is also another aria of the main character, sounding in the first act - "Oh, do not look for happiness." Other dance rhythms also appear in the operetta - waltz (for example, the refrain of the duet of Edwin and Silva from the first act), cancan.

Although there are solo numbers in the operetta (along with the already mentioned arias of Silva, one can name, for example, the lyrical arioso of Ferri, an old theatergoer who sympathizes with lovers), ensemble numbers still prevail in The Queen of Czardas: duets, tercet “Hey, take it, gypsies , violin" (Boni, Silva and Ferri), a joyful quartet of happy young lovers who complete the work, and others. In the finals of all three acts, the choir takes on an important role.

Despite the disturbing events of the era, which often prevented contacts between the composer and librettist, he completed The Queen of Czardas in the autumn of 1915. anything good from such a date! However, the thirteenth performance did not take place - no, not because of the events of the First World War, but because of the artist Josef Koenig, who lost his voice. But if you think that this calmed the author, you are mistaken: the postponement of the premiere is also a bad omen, no better than the thirteenth! In a word, Kalman was mentally prepared for a crushing fiasco - and he was mistaken in his assumptions: the operetta was waiting for a tremendous success, all Vienna sang melodies from it.

The war did not prevent the Russian premiere of The Queen of Czardas, which took place in 1916 - however, the realities of the time still left their mark on this performance: the names of the actors were changed. The name “Silva” also became different. Since then, in our country, this Kalman operetta is most often staged under this name.

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"Queen of chardash"(German: Die Csardasfurstin) is an operetta by the Hungarian composer, written in 1915. The idea of ​​a work dedicated to the variety star Silva Varescu arose from the composer as early as the beginning of 1914. Captivated by the plot of the work, Kalman set to work with extraordinary enthusiasm. Despite historical events that caused breaks in writing "Queens of Cardash", the operetta was finished. Its premiere took place in 1915 at the Vienna Theatre.

stage destiny operetta "Queen of Czardas", which is also called, can be called brilliant without exaggeration. In Vienna, the operetta withstood 2,000 performances, and in Berlin, where the famous Frizzi Massari played the main role, the performance went on daily for two years. , or "Queen of chardash" many years ago, she began her triumphal procession across the stages of the entire globe, which continues to this day.

The plot of the operetta "Silva"

Silva Varescu gives a farewell performance before the upcoming tour in America. Her lover Edwin is late for this event. When he appears in a variety show, Bonnie hands him an urgent telegram in which the prince's parents insist on breaking off their son's relationship with the singer and returning home immediately.

Edwin doesn't answer his parents. Despite this, the prince agrees to transfer his son to another regiment. Edwin decides and proposes to Silva. The engagement takes place right in the variety show. But immediately after the solemn ceremony, the lovers had to leave.

Bonnie shows Silva an invitation to Edwin and Stassi's engagement. Silva's heart is broken. To distract her from her sad thoughts, Bonnie tries to reason with Silva and persuades her not to give up the American tour.

Stassi shows Edwin invitations to their future wedding, the date of which he tried to reschedule. Silva appears at the celebration in the house of Prince Volyapyuk under the name of the Countess, along with Bonnie. Bonnie falls in love with Stassi. Silva and Edwin rekindle their relationship and Edwin calls off their planned engagement. Upon learning of this, the prince is indignant, and the evening ends with a scandal.

The variety show "Orpheum" becomes the place of the final denouement of the story. Prince Volyapyuk learns that he is married to a former chansonette nicknamed "Nightingale". Bonnie pushes Silva to confess her love to Edwin just as Edwin himself appears in the room.

I. Kalman operetta "Silva" (Queen of Czardas)

The Hungarian composer Imre Kalman wrote "Silva" in 1915, that is, in the era of modernity - the era of the world "disenchanted" by Modernity. At this time, spiritual quests that had gone into the catacombs were replaced by faith in science. Art, reflecting and expressing the new reality, changed and "landed". But "landing" is the form through which great artists expressed high content. no doubt was an artist who managed to create a loud and difficult operetta about overcoming class barriers. Behind the façade of the classic love story of a beautiful simple girl with a twinkle and a noble young man from high society lies a challenge to their time and, accordingly, to their society. An artist breaking into the extremely specific high society of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is a kind of revolution wrapped in a “beautiful fairy tale” wrapper.

A summary of Kalman's operetta "" and many interesting facts about this work, read on our page.

Summary

The action takes place in 1915 in the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the First World War. The main character, Silva Varescu, makes her way from the bottom and becomes the prima of the Budapest Variety Show, where she receives the nickname "Gypsy Princess" and prepares to go on a tour of America. Beloved of Silva, the young prince Edwin, who serves in the army as an officer, cannot get the consent of the family to marry due to the low birth of the heroine. Edwin's parents agree on the engagement of their son with his cousin and on the transfer to another part in order to separate him from Silva. But Edwin secretly gets engaged to Silva, taking a notary as a witness.

Varescu goes on tour with his variety show after a discord occurs between the heroes and Edwin agrees to a long-prepared engagement with another - his cousin Anastasia, who comes from a noble family. In Vienna, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the heroes meet again at Edwin's engagement to Countess Stassi, whom the family of Prince Volyapyuk has long been counting on marrying their son. Silva arrives there, accompanied by Edwin's friend, Count Boni, who calls the "gypsy princess" his wife, Countess Konchian. Fast-paced action then unfolds, in which Boni gets close to Stassi and Edwin reunites with Silva. Evin's father is eventually forced to give his permission for the marriage, as it turns out that Edwin's mother, Princess Angilta, also played in a variety show before her marriage to the prince.

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Interesting Facts

• The operetta "Silva" also has other names, in German "Queen of Csardas" ("Gypsy Princess"), in English "Riviera Girl" or similarly German "Gypsy Princess". The first "working" title of the operetta was Long Live Love.
• The operetta was translated into Russian by V.S. Mikhailov and D.G. Tolmachev in 1915. Since the First World War was going on at that time, the name and names of some characters were changed.
• The libretto for the operetta was written by Bela Jenbach and Leo Stein.
• Silva was most popular in Austria, Hungary, Germany and the Soviet Union.
• Based on the operetta, a number of films were shot in Austria, Hungary, Germany, Norway and the Soviet Union. The first was a silent film by the Austrian director Emil Leide, released in 1919. The last film was directed by Soviet director Jan Fried in 1981.

• The premiere of "Silva" took place during the First World War, the success of the operetta was such that it was staged on both sides of the front: in Austria-Hungary and the Russian Empire.
• Operetta "Silva", like other works Kalman , was banned in Nazi Germany.
• In 1954, the Hungarian playwright István Bekeffi and Keller Dejø wrote an extended version of Silva, which was a hit in Hungary.

Popular arias and numbers

Silva's exit aria "Heia, heia, in den Bergen ist mein Heimatland"

Duet Silva and Edwin "Weißt du es noch"

Bonnie's song "Ganz ohne Weiber geht die Chose nicht"

History of creation

The initiators of writing the operetta in the spring of 1914 were the authors of the libretto Bela Jenbach and Leo Stein. Premiere " Silva”was supposed to take place on November 13, 2015, but due to problems with the voice of one of the key artists, it was postponed to November 17, when it was held at the Johann Strauss Theater in Vienna at that time, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The premiere took place in Hungary in 1916, in Russia in 1917.

Video: watch Kalman's operetta "Silva"

Silvia or Queen of shards(German Die Csardasfurstin listen)) is an operetta by the Hungarian composer Imre Kalman, written by him in 1915.

In the repertoires of some theaters, in addition to the name "Queen of Csardas", there is also a literal translation from German - " princess chardash».

The first production of the operetta in Russia took place at the height of the First World War (), therefore, both the name of the operetta and many of the names of the characters were redone. Since then, in the Soviet Union and Russia, most productions have been and are being staged under the name "Silva". Russian lyrics - V. S. Mikhailov and D. G. Tolmachev.

Characters

In Russian theaters, the role of Edwin is often played by baritone singers, such as Gerard Vasiliev, while in European productions using Kalman's original scores, the protagonist is most often a tenor (this role was played, for example, by Swede Nikolai Gedda). However, when the director is not limited by the capabilities of a particular troupe, and in Russian recordings, Edwin is usually a tenor. In particular, in the films of 1944 and 1981 (the film of 1976 is, in fact, a television version of the performance of the Moscow Operetta Theater), as well as in the classical radio editing, where Georgy Nelepp performs the vocal part of the part.

Plot

Silva Varescu - Talented and hardworking, becomes the star of the Budapest Variety Show. Silva loves the young aristocrat Edwin, but their marriage is impossible due to social inequality. However, before leaving for the regiment, Edwin invites a notary and an engagement takes place between Edwin and Silva backstage. Already after the departure of Edwin, it turns out that he is engaged to another. Silva leaves on tour, accompanied by Count Boni.

At the engagement of Edwin and Stassi, which takes place in Vienna, Count Boni suddenly appears with Silva, whom he introduces to everyone as his wife. However, having fallen in love with Edwin's fiancee, Boni willingly gives a "divorce" to Silva. Edwin is happy: he can now marry Silva, a divorced countess, without conflict with relatives. The old prince, Edwin's father, is struck by his son's refusal to be engaged to Stassi, who managed to fall in love with Boni. But Silva shows the marriage contract that Edwin signed with her before leaving. It turns out that Silva is not the Countess Canciano, but just a singer. Edwin is ready to fulfill his promise, but Silva breaks the contract and leaves.

At the hotel where they are staying, Boney tries to comfort Silva as she considers returning to the stage. Edwin arrives, who loves Silva and does not refuse to marry her. Next comes the old prince. It turns out that his wife and mother Edwina in her youth was also a chansonette, a singer in a variety show. The prince is forced to submit to circumstances. Edwin on his knees asks for forgiveness from Silva.

Screen adaptations

• Silva (film, 1944) - Soviet film directed by Alexander Ivanovsky
• The Czardas Queen - Austrian silent film directed by Emil Leide (1919)
• The Czardas Queen - German-Hungarian silent film by Hanns Schwartz (1927)
• The Czardas Queen - German black-and-white film by Georg Jacobi (1934)
• The Czardas Queen (film) - a German-made film directed by Georg Jacobi (1951)
• Queen of Csardas (film, 1971) - a Hungarian-German co-production film
• Queen of Csardas - Norwegian black and white film (1973)
• Silva (film, 1976) - Soviet film directed by Natalya Barantseva
• Silva (film, 1981) - Soviet film directed by Jan Frid

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An excerpt characterizing the Queen of Czardas (opera)

When Princess Mary began to cry, he realized that she was crying that Nikolushka would be left without a father. With great effort on himself, he tried to go back to life and transferred himself to their point of view.
“Yes, they must feel sorry for it! he thought. “How easy it is!”
“The birds of the air neither sow nor reap, but your father feeds them,” he said to himself and wanted to say the same to the princess. “But no, they will understand it in their own way, they will not understand! They cannot understand this, that all these feelings that they value are all ours, all these thoughts that seem to us so important that they are not needed. We can't understand each other." And he was silent.

The little son of Prince Andrei was seven years old. He could hardly read, he knew nothing. He experienced a lot after that day, acquiring knowledge, observation, experience; but if he had then mastered all these later acquired abilities, he could not have better, deeper understood the full significance of the scene that he saw between his father, Princess Mary and Natasha than he understood it now. He understood everything and, without crying, left the room, silently went up to Natasha, who followed him, looked shyly at her with beautiful, thoughtful eyes; his upturned ruddy upper lip quivered, he leaned his head against it and wept.
From that day on, he avoided Dessalles, avoided the countess who caressed him, and either sat alone or timidly approached Princess Mary and Natasha, whom he seemed to love even more than his aunt, and softly and shyly caressed them.
Princess Mary, leaving Prince Andrei, fully understood everything that Natasha's face told her. She no longer spoke to Natasha about the hope of saving his life. She took turns with her at his sofa and wept no more, but prayed incessantly, turning her soul to that eternal, incomprehensible, whose presence was now so palpable over the dying man.

Prince Andrei not only knew that he would die, but he felt that he was dying, that he was already half dead. He experienced a consciousness of alienation from everything earthly and a joyful and strange lightness of being. He, without haste and without anxiety, expected what lay ahead of him. That formidable, eternal, unknown and distant, the presence of which he had not ceased to feel throughout his life, was now close to him and - by that strange lightness of being that he experienced - almost understandable and felt.
Before, he was afraid of the end. He twice experienced this terrible tormenting feeling of fear of death, the end, and now he no longer understood it.
The first time he experienced this feeling was when a grenade was spinning like a top in front of him and he looked at the stubble, at the bushes, at the sky and knew that death was in front of him. When he woke up after the wound and in his soul, instantly, as if freed from the oppression of life that held him back, this flower of love blossomed, eternal, free, not dependent on this life, he no longer feared death and did not think about it.
The more he, in those hours of suffering solitude and semi-delusion that he spent after his wound, thought about the new beginning of eternal love revealed to him, the more he, without feeling it, renounced earthly life. Everything, to love everyone, to always sacrifice oneself for love, meant not to love anyone, meant not to live this earthly life. And the more he was imbued with this beginning of love, the more he renounced life and the more completely he destroyed that terrible barrier that, without love, stands between life and death. When, this first time, he remembered that he had to die, he said to himself: well, so much the better.
But after that night in Mytishchi, when the woman he desired appeared before him half-delirious, and when, pressing her hand to his lips, he wept with quiet, joyful tears, love for one woman crept imperceptibly into his heart and again tied him to life. And joyful and disturbing thoughts began to come to him. Remembering that moment at the dressing station when he saw Kuragin, he now could not return to that feeling: he was tormented by the question of whether he was alive? And he didn't dare to ask.

In three acts.
Libretto by L. Stein and B. Jenbach.

Characters:

Silva Varescu, variety show artist (soprano); Prince Volapyuk (in the original Lippert Weilersheim); Princess Volapyuk, his wife; Edwin, their son (tenor); Countess Stassi, the prince's niece (soprano); Count Boni Kanislavu (in the original Kancianu) (tenor); Ferry Kerekesh, old theatergoer (baritone); Kise, notary; Rons (originally Ronsdorff), Edwin's cousin; groom; Butler; guests at the ball, actors, theater audience.

The action takes place in 1912 in Budapest and Vienna.

The idea of ​​an operetta dedicated to the variety show star Silva Varescu came to Kalman at the very beginning of 1914. In April of the same year, an agreement was signed with him and his librettists Leo Stein and Bela Jenbach. The German libretto was called "Long Live Love".

Despite breaks in the joint work of the composer and librettists, breaks due to historical events taking place literally around them (in July 1914, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, Franz Ferdinand, was killed in the Serbian city of Sarajevo. The Austro-Serbian war that began as a result of this almost immediately outgrew to the world), by November 1915 the operetta was completed, and on November 17, the premiere took place at the Johann Strauss Theater in Vienna. In the music of the operetta, called "The Queen of Csardas", the rhythmic intonations of this most popular Hungarian dance with its pathetic beginning and stormy, fiery conclusion are widely used. Musical numbers, as a rule, are ensemble - duets, tercet, quartet, march ensemble, etc. The choir plays an important role, especially in the widely written finals of acts.

First action

The crowded hall of the famous Budapest music hall "Orpheum". Before leaving on a long tour, the favorite of the public, Silva Varescu, performs here for the last time. Her signature number "Hey-ya, oh hey-ya" is a typical chardash with a slow, wide chant, turning into a swift, fiery friska song.

During the intermission, a group of regulars appear backstage, along with Boni and Ferry. Their ensemble “We are all theater-goers”, a cheerful, carefree march, turns into verses of “Cabaret Beauty”. Bonnie sees Edwin coming in. He has a telegram for Edwin from his father, who demands to break with Silva. But Edwin thinks only of Silva. He begs her to stay, not to leave. Silva is firm: they must part, because their marriage is impossible. The duet of lovers "You can often get carried away" is graceful, not without cunning, with a wide waltz refrain "There are many women in the world."

Boni is surrounded by cheerful corps de ballet girls. He offers himself as assistant choreographer. His verses “One, two, three” are cheerful and frivolous, in which, as a comic parallel to the duet of Edwin and Silva, the refrain sounds “You can’t live without women in the world, no!”

Ferry and Boni want to console Silva, she answers their chatter with the song "Oh, don't look for happiness." It's a chardash again with a great slow melody. Its second part, friska, despite the outward prowess, is also full of bitterness. Each stanza concludes with the refrain "A particle of the devil is in us."

Another visitor appears - Edwin's cousin Rons, a guardsman. He came for Edwin: he is required in the regiment. Edwin again refuses. Rons recalls: Edwin is engaged to Countess Stassi, soon to be engaged. He gives Bonnie an invitation card. Boni leaves to help Silva pack.

Edwin decides to take the last step - he announces that he will marry Silva right there, now. The name of the notary. He writes Edwin's commitment to seal the marriage in eight weeks. This is how the huge musical finale of the act begins, in which almost all the previously sounded melodies appear: "Pretty Women", "There are a lot of women in the world", Silva's second chardash, etc. Ferry stops Edwin, who is ready to sign a contract. In a lyrical arioso, he calls to test his feelings and blesses the lovers. They sign a contract, the orchestra plays a wedding march (funny variations on the theme of Mendelssohn's famous march).

Rons reappears, having been gone for half an hour. Silva persuades Edwin to go, to fulfill his military duty. He leaves after a tender farewell. Bonnie runs in: everything is packed, you can go. To Silva's story about what happened, Boni shows an invitation to the engagement: Edwin had no right to conclude a new contract! Silva leaves in despair. Everyone goes to follow her. Only Ferry thoughtfully rereads the invitation card and sings "Cabaret Beauty".

Second act

Ball at Prince Volapyuk's mansion in Vienna. Edwin, unaware of Rons divulging his engagement to Stassi, which he never took seriously, is surprised and troubled by Silva's silence. There is no answer to his numerous telegrams. Edwin is dancing with Stassi. She knows everything, but is not opposed to marrying her cousin. Their duet "Tra-la-la" is carefree and light. Edwin wants to forget about everything. But exactly eight weeks have passed since Edwin's departure from Budapest - the term of the contract ends.

Boni and Silva came to the ball. They are reported as Count and Countess Kanislava. Boni introduces Silva to Prince Volapuk as his wife. Edwin is confused and does not understand anything. While the old prince is dancing with Silva, with whom he is fascinated, Edwin tries to find out from Boni what happened. Silva returns and Boni slips away. The dramatic explanation of Silva and Edwin turns into a dreamy and sad waltz duet "Do You Remember". They parted ways, and Boni, dancing with Stassi, falls in love with her more and more. "Ah, my friend" - Boni's lively song turns into a cheerful duet.

Edwin is next to Silva again. He watched her - he sees that she is unhappy. So Silva loves him. Boni breaks their privacy and ... blesses those who love. Considering that Silva is Boni's legal wife and, therefore, bears the title of Countess Kanislava, Edwin wants to take her to her parents: he will be allowed to marry a divorced countess! Edwin runs away, and Silva again despairs: it means that Edwin cannot marry the actress Silva Varescu!

The end of the act begins. Prince Volapyuk is trying to publicly announce Edwin's engagement to Stassi, but Edwin interrupts his father and says that he has another obligation, another love - here she is, Countess Kanislavu. But Silva refuses the title that does not belong to her. She is not a countess, but a princess - Princess Volapyuk. Here is her contract! Edwin is ready to fulfill his obligation, but Silva tears the contract to shreds. Despite Edwin's entreaties, she leaves the prince's palace with Boni.

Third act

The hotel where Silva and Boni stayed. After returning from the ball, they meet Ferry here. He persuades her to return to the stage: art will heal heart wounds. Their tercet “Hey, take a violin, gypsies” sounds cheerfully with characteristic Hungarian-gypsy intonations. Edwin has come here: he cannot live without Silva! And then his father shows up. Edwin runs away from him to Boni's room, and Prince Volapyuk wants to find out the truth. He accuses Bonnie of disgracing Stassi, but Bonnie immediately asks for her hand in marriage. To confirm, he calls on the phone, and Stassi agrees. Boni runs away, and Ferry, having appeared in the lobby, demands that the prince fulfill his obligation to Silva. To the indignation of the prince, who says that there were no singers in his family, he announces that his wife, Princess Volapyuk, also once sang in the Orpheum. She was the famous chansonette Nightingale. Stassi, who also showed up at the hotel with her aunt, cheerfully sings a duet with Boni. Edwin and Silva reconcile. The operetta ends with a joyful quartet of young lovers "Love itself is given to us by fate."

L. Mikheeva, A. Orelovich