Das Spitzentuch der Königin

Das Spitzentuch der Königin (The Queen's Lace Handkerchief) is an operetta by Johann Strauss II. The libretto by Heinrich Bohrmann-Riegen and Richard Genée was based on the Spanish writer Cervantes.[1]

Johann Strauss II

It was first performed on 1 October 1880 in Vienna at the Theater an der Wien under the composer's direction by Therese Braunecker-Schäfer, Alexander Girardi, Eugenie Erdösy, Karoline Tellheim, Hermine Meyerhoff, Felix Schweighofer and Ferdinand Schütz.[2] The piece was adapted for Broadway in 1882, with some additional songs by Solomon and Stephens, and (once the new Casino Theatre solved its mechanical problems) ran successfully for 130 performances.[3]

The work is rather obscure nowadays, but the waltz "Rosen aus dem Süden" (Roses from the South), which incorporates melodies from the operetta, is well known. A revised version by Erich Wolfgang Korngold under the title Das Lied der Liebe (The Song of Love) was premiered in Berlin on 23 December 1931 with Richard Tauber and Anny Ahlers in leading roles.[4]

Roles
Role Voice type Premiere cast, 1 October 1880
(Conductor: Johann Strauss II)
Cervantes baritone
The King of Portugal tenor
The Queen soprano
Don Sancho d'Avellaneday Villapinquedones tenor Alexander Girardi
Donna Irene, confidant of the Queen soprano
Count Villalobos y Rodriguez bass
Marquis de la Mancha y Villareal baritone
Chorus

Recordings

2008: Nadja Stefanoff, Jessica Glatte, Elke Kottmair, Ralf Simon, Markus Liske, Hary Brachmann, Gritt Gnauck; Staatsoperette Dresden, conductor Ernst Theis; cpo 777 406-2

References
  1. "Strauss II, J.: Waltzes, Polkas, Marches and Overtures". NaxosDirect. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
  2. Casaglia, Gherardo (2005)."Das Spitzentuch der Königin". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
  3. Traubner, Richard. Operetta: A Theatrical History, Routledge (2004), p. 117 ISBN 1135887837
  4. Korb, Willi: Richard Tauber. Biographie eines unvergessenen Sängers, Vienna, 1966, p. 70, OCLC 5761217
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