Joseph Beer (1908-1987) : Polnische Hochzeit
Livret de Alfred Grünwald et Fritz Löhner-Beda
CPO 555059-2 (2 CDs)
22 Novembre 2015
Prinzregententheater, München
19.9.2016
Martina Rüping (Sopran), Jadja, fille du baron
Oginsky
Susanne Bernhard (Sopran), Suza, régisseuse du baron Oginsky
Nikolai Schukoff (Tenor), Comte Boleslav Zagorsky, neveu du Comte Staschek
Zagorsky
Michael Kupfer-Radecky (Bariton), Comte Staschek Zagorsky, propriétaire
terrien
Mathias Hausmann (Bariton), Casimir von Kawietsky, metayer du baron Oginsky
Friedemann Röhlig (Bass), Baron Metiek Oginsky
Bernhard Spingler (Bariton), Capitaine russe Sergius Korrosoff
Florence Losseau (Mezzosopran), Stasi, Fonctionnaire
du baron Oginsky
Alexandre Kienle (Bass), Stani, Fonctionnaire
du
baron Oginsky
Chor des Staatstheaters am Gärtnerplatz
(directeur: Felix Meybier)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester
Ulf Schirmer, conductor
Composed in but a few weeks by a youth in his mid twenties, Polnische
Hochzeit, published by a division of Universal Edition premiered on April 3,
1937 at the Zurich Opera House.
During the 11 months following its premiere, it was performed internationally
on over 40 stages and translated into 8 languages, sometimes bearing, as in
Finland, the alternative title of Masurkka.
In 1938, Maurice Lehmann, then director of the Théâtre du Châtelet, scheduled
it for a French premiere starring Jan Kiepura and Marta Eggerth. Simultaneously,
tenor superstar Richard Tauber was slated to be featured in a high profile
Viennese production.
Published by the Stockholm-based Arvid Englind Publishing Co., the opera
continued to be performed with tremendous success in Scandanavia from 1939 until
the beginning of the 21st century despite the composer's lack of cooperation (please
see www.JosephBeerComposer.com for further detail.)
With the advent of the Anschluss March of 1938, the name of the "Jew Beer" was
taken off the roster of the Theater an der Wien among others. With his life at
stake, the composer had to flee Vienna, and all plans of performing Polnische
Hochzeit were hence abruptly and permanently ended.
Presently under contract with the prestigious European publisher Doblinger
Musikverlag. Polnische Hochzeit was revived in Vienna (2012) and in Germany
(2013,) and performances and recordings featuring major artists and theatres/orchestras are in the works.
All piano-vocal and engraved orchestral scores available from Doblinger Musikverlag.
Béatrice Beer
“In der Heimat blüh’n die Rosen – nicht für mich den Heimatlosen”, sings
Count Boleslav in his first big solo in Polnische Hochzeit: “In my
home country roses are blossoming, but not for me, I am without a homeland.”
These are words from the 1937 show, premiered in Switzerland, that could
just as easily come from the biography of the composer himself.
Joseph Beer was born in 1908 in Lemberg. Back then, this was part of the
Austrian-Hungarian empire, but 10 years later it was to become one of the
most important cities of Poland. Beer studied in Vienna, after the
“Anschluss” in 1938 he fled to France. Until he died, in 1987, he lived in
Nice. Polnische Hochzeit is a voluptuous operetta in the Viennese
tradition. One can detect echoes of Emmerich Kálmán and Paul Abraham, but
the score is also filled by Polish folk dances and Jewish melodies. But
there are also many “modern” syncopated numbers, e.g. the duet “Katzenaugen”
(Cat’s Eyes), a veritable Charleston.
What sets Polnische Hochzeit apart is the patriotic story set in
1830 Poland, a country occupied by the Russians. Childhood sweethearts
Boleslav and Jadja meet once more when Boleslav returns home. Jadja is now
engaged to Boleslav’s rich uncle Staschek, but the witty maid Suze (a female
sort of Figaro) finds a way to untangle the engagement and get Boleslav and
Jadja together in the end. Because of the difficult theater situation in Austria, the show was
first presented in Switzerland – with a libretto by Kalman’s and Lehár’s co-authors
Alfred Grünwald and Fritz Löhner-Beda, who also collaborated with Abraham.
Polish Wedding was an immediate hit and had 40 subsequent productions
elsewhere, outside of Nazi Germany. It was translated into eight languages.
Nikolai Schukoff is someone I encounter more and more often in operettas,
and that makes me very happy. His tenor is very suited for the genre, much
more than for his usual Wagnerian repertoire which has left traces in his
voice. They are not dramatic, but he needs time to vocally warm up (it’s a
live recording). By the time he sings the mazurka “Polenland, mein
Heimatland” (Poland, my home country) he – and his voice – are in full
swing. He dazzles with some glorious top notes and demonstrates a great
sense of rhythm. In this, he is perfectly supported by conductor Ulf
Schirmer. And the longing and passionate way Schukoff sings “Du bist meine
große Liebe” (You are my big love) is something even colleagues like Nicolai
Gedda couldn’t top.
Martina Rüping is a wonderful Jadja. She sings “Wenn die Mädel zu Mazurka
gehen” with warm soprano tones, and she adds a certain melancholy that is
touching, as is the song itself. Just like the duet “Herz and Herz” (heart
to heart). I melted away.
Michael Kupfer-Radecky is an impressive Count Staschek, and Susanne Bernhard
a wonderful as Suze.
It’s certainly one of the better cpo operetta releases.
Joseph Beer (1908-1987) : Polnische Hochzeit