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WALTZES FROM VIENNA

Music by Johann Strauss (Father & Son): Selected and arranged by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Julius Bittner. Book and lyrics by A.M. Willner, Heinz Reichert and Ernst Marischka.

Stadttheater, Vienna - 30 October, 1930.
Alhambra Theatre, London (adaptation by Desmond Carter, Caswel Garth, G.H. Clutsam and Hubert Griffiths) - 17 August, 1931
Center Theatre, New York (adaptation by Moss Hart, Frank Tours and Robert Russell Bennet - as The Great Waltz) - 22 September, 1934

Synopsis

This story of the tension between Strauss the elder and Strauss the younger, engendered by the son's ambitions to succeed his father as the Waltz King of Vienna, is delightfully woven around a score which is a collection of some of the greatest light music ever composed. It tells of the star-crossed romance between young Johann and the attractive daughter of an engagingly-eccentric pastry-cook, and involves a helpfully-intriguing Countess and other endearing characters. Climaxed of course by the immortal "Blue Danube", this is a feast of the music that set the whole world dancing and 'did more good for humanity than a hundred thousand doctors'.

Principals:

3 female, 8 male (3 non-singing)

Johann Strauss I
Johann Strauss II ('Schani')
Hieronymus Ebeseder, a confectioner
Therese, his daughter
Kathi Pollinger, his sister
Franzi, Tini and Mali Pollinger, her daughters
Ferdinand Wessely, a master tailor
Leopold Wessely, his son
Countess Olga Barranskaja
Prince Sascha Gogol, an embassy official
Captain von Hohenau
Lieutenant Sternau
Gottfried Amadaus Drechsler, leader of the orchestra of Johann Strauss I
Dr Sebastian Brandl, critic of Bäuerles Theaterzeitung
Karl Friedrich Hirsch, known as 'Lampel Hirsch'
Florian Dommayer, a landlord
Stefan Kreider, a cashier at Dommayer's
Cyrill, the Countess's footman
Georg Homolka, a sergeant
Fanny Wiesinger
Frau Kratochwill, landlady of an apartment block
Pepi, Ebeseder's apprentice

A student, a stagecoachman, a gentleman, a guest, members of the public

Instrumentation:

flute, oboe, 2 clarinets, bassoon, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, percussion, harp, strings

The following details are from the adaptation by Phil Park and Ronald Hanmer for amateur performance

CAST

• COUNTESS OLGA BARANSKAYA — high-society cosmopolitan; wealthy and influential high-society lady of foreign extraction but living in Vienna; High Soprano.
• LINA EBESEDER — Ebeseder's daughter; young and charming, if somewhat vaccilating; Soprano.
• MITZI — maid-of-all-work: comedienne; Soubrette.
• JOHANN STRAUSS — the Waltz-King of Vienna, and composer of the immortal " Blue Danube ": young, personable, and talented; High Baritone.
• JOHANN STRAUSS — his father: middle-aged; a strong personality of charm and dignity, but egotistical and domineering; Non-singing.
• EBESEDER — celebrated pastry-cook: a likeable "character"; pleasantly eccentric; good-natured; Comedian-baritone.
• LEOPOLD — young; earnest but agreeable; Baritone.
• VOGL — Court Tailor: an amusing " old crony " type; comedian-baritone.
• CAPTAIN VASSILI VRONSKI — of the Embassy Staff: burly; ridiculously self-important and domineering; the Countess's
  devoted escort and a would-be charmer; Baritone.
• DREXLER — leader of Strauss's orchestra; gentle—unassuming musician-type; Non-singing.
• DOMMAYER — garden-restaurant proprietor: fussy restauranteur; Non-singing.

Ladies and Gentlemen of Vienna, Guests, etc.

THE ORCHESTRA

In this new version of Waltzes from Vienna, the orchestration has been carefully arranged to meet the requirements of modest or large orchestras. The minimum combination for an effective performance is: Flute; 1st B flat Clarinet; 1st and 2nd Trumpets; 1st Trombone; Percussion and Strings. Thereafter, instruments should be added in the following order: 2nd B flat Clarinet; Oboe; 2nd Trombone; Bassoon; 1st and 2nd Horns and lastly, Harp.

The work is liberally cued. In the absence of the Oboe, the 1st Trumpet should play these cues MUTED. Oboe cues are doubled in Flute and Clarinet where practicable, and Horn and Bassoon cues appear in Cello, Trombone and Trumpet parts. It is emphasized that a complete string section should be used, but Clarinet parts contain many essential cues to be played in absence of a Viola. The string parts are bowed where necessary, and the 1st Violin has all important melody cues throughout. The vocal score carries instrumentation marks for the musical director's assistance.

Musical Numbers

ACT I

OVERTURE

1. OPENING (Mitzi, Ebeseder and Chorus) - "Under smiling morning sun"
   
2. SONG (Johann and Chorus) - Ladies of Vienna - "When ladies are so fascinating"
   
3. DUET (Lina and Leopold) - Wait and See - "This is so sudden"
   
4. DUET (Lina, Johann and Chorus) - Love is a Waltz - "Just a simple melody"
   
5. QUARTET (Vronski, Ebeseder, Vogl and Leopold) - Is it Worth It? - "I am not the least conceited"
   
6. DUET (Olga and Johann) - Out of the Blue - "Please believe, with me for a friend"
   
7. FINALE ACT I (Lina, Johann, Strauss, Ebeseder and Chorus) - "We'd like to say with all due deference"

ACT II

8. ENTR'ACTE
   
9. OPENING (Orchestral recording
   
10. SONG SCENA (Chorus) - City of Song - "Any time of the day"
    
11. DUET (Olga, Mitzi and Girls) - You're in Love - "Don't let your heart lead you astray"
    
12. DUET (Lina and Johann) - Once in a Lifetime - "For forgiveness I appeal"
    
13. DUET (Leopold, Ebeseder and Chorus) - Wine, Women and Song - "We don't look for troubles"
    
14. DUET (Olga and Johann) - Friend-in-Need - "My word I'll gladly give"
    
15. WALTZ MusIC (Orchestral recording)
    
16. FINALE ACT II (Ensemble)- "Sing now with me"

ACT III

17. 17 ENTR'ACTE
    
18. OPENING ACT III (Vronski and Chorus) - "Tonight's a night we'll long recall"
    
19. BALLET - Waltzes From Vienna (Ensemble)
    
20. REPRISE (Linda) - Once in a Lifetime - "Once in a lifetime love finds you"
    
21. SONG (Mitzi) - High-born Lady - "What a simply marvellous feeling"
    
22. REPRISE (Olga and Johann) - Out of the Blue - "If you've a dream you love"
    
23. FINALE ACT III (Full Company) - The Blue Danube - "Danube so blue, sweet memories of you"
    
24. PLAY-OUT