Der lustige Krieg (The Merry War) is a three-act operetta composed by Johann Strauss II. The work was first performed on 25 November 1881 at the Theater an der Wien. Its libretto was by F. Zell ( Camillo Walzel) and Richard Genée. The operetta was well received at its premiere, and was performed 69 times during its first run. [1]
Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 25 November 1881
[2] Conductor: Johann Strauss II |
---|---|---|
Violetta, Countess Lomelli, a widow | soprano | Caroline Finaly |
Artemisia, Princess of Massa-Carrara | contralto | Rosa Streitmann |
Else Groot | soprano | |
Balthasar Groot, her husband, a tulip merchant from Holland | baritone | |
Marchese Sebastiano | tenor | Alexander Girardi |
Colonel Umberto Spinola | tenor | |
Riccardo Durazzo | baritone | |
Fortunato Franchetti | bass-baritone | |
Biffi | tenor | |
Pamfilio | baritone | |
First lady | soprano | |
Second lady | mezzo-soprano | |
Third lady | contralto | |
First commissioner | tenor | |
Second commissioner | bass | |
Colonel van Scheelen | spoken | |
Officers and their wives, soldiers and people (chorus) |
It concerns a dispute between two states. The 'war' between them is played out as a game of love between Colonel Umberto Spinola, the commander-in-chief of the Genoese army, and the widowed Countess Violetta. Despite the name of the operetta, there is no fighting or bloodshed in the 'war'.
Johann Strauss: Der lustige Krieg, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Wiener Jeunesse-Chor, Wiener Motettenchor