Happy End (1929)

Happy End
(1929)
Comedy with music, in three acts (in German).
Book by Dorothy Lane, pseudonym for Elisabeth Hauptmann and Bertolt Brecht.
Lyrics by Bertolt Brecht.

Synopsis
Song List
Performance Information
Principal Productions
Recordings

Photo of backdrop

Final tableau from original production, Berlin, 1929.
The stained-glass windows depict Henry Ford, J.P. Morgan, and John D. Rockefeller, from left to right.

Synopsis

Set in early 1920's Chicago, the plot pits organized crime against the Salvation Army. Lieutenant Lilian Holiday makes a brave attempt to reform a group of gangsters led by Bill Cracker and the Lady in Grey. As she is making progress, she is thrown out of the Salvation Army because they fear she is too close to the gangsters. But since she is the most popular evangelist, they are forced to let her back into the fold. Meanwhile, the gang robs a bank on Christmas Eve; thanks to Bill's growing affection for Lilian, they decide to unite with the Salvation Army and open a new office downtown, to work on saving the souls of capitalists.

Song list

Bilbao-Song
Der kleine Leutnant des lieben Gottes
Geht hinein in die Schlacht
Matrosen-Tango
Bruder, gib dir einen Stoss
Fürchte dich nicht
In der Jugend gold'nem Schimmer
Das Lied vom Branntweinhändler
Der Song von Mandelay
Surabaya-Johnny
Das Lied von der harten Nuss
Die Ballade von der Höllen-Lili
Hosiannah Rockefeller

Performance Information

Cast: Singing roles -- Bill Cracker (high baritone), Sam Worlitzer (baritone), Hanibal Jackson (baritone), Lilian Holiday (soprano), Lady in Grey (mezzo-soprano), Jane (mezzo); chorus, SATB.
Speaking roles -- Dr. Nakamura, Jimmy Dexter, Bob Merker, Johnny Flint, Salvation Army Captain, Mary, Miriam.
Orchestra: alto sax (fl, picc, cl); ten. sax (bass sax, cl); tpt; tbn; banjo (Hawaiian guitar or mandolin, bandoneon or accordion, (bass) guitar); perc (2nd tpt); piano (harmonium).
Duration: full evening, 40 minutes music

Principal productions

September 2, 1929, Berlin, Theater am Schiffbauerdamm, Erich Engel, dir., Theo Mackeben, cond.
December 30, 1958, Hamburg, Hamburger Kammerspiele, Peter Elsholtz, dir., Roland Sonder-Mahnken, cond.
March 11, 1965, London, Royal Court Theatre, Michael Geliot, dir., Francis Chagrin, cond. (in English)
1979, Germany, DDR-Fernsehen (television film), Manfred Wekwerth, dir.
January 23, 1983, Frankfurt, Frank Moritz and Ingo Wasserka, dir., Hansgeorg Koch, dir.

Recordings

LP CBS 66266 LP Columbia COS-2032 LP Philips B 47 080 L LP Columbia OL 5630 CBS MK 42636 CBS MPK 45886 BEAR FAMILY 16019 Documents Historische Ton 4032250197830 (2 CDs)		Lotte Lenya, Wilhelm Brückner-Rüggeberg, cond. 1960
Capriccio 60 015		Gabriele Ramm, Walter Raffeiner, Karin Ploog, Steven Kimbrough, Pro Musica Köln, König Ensemble, Jan Latham-König, cond. 2008

See also
English adaptation by Michael Feingold,
Happy End Songspiel, arranged by David Drew.