Franz Frickel (far left: Fürst), Clemens Kerschbaumer and Sieglinde Feldhofer (middle: Count Balduin and Gabriele), Verena Barth-Jurca (far right: Pepi Pleininger). All photos: Bühne Baden / Christian Husar
BADEN / Summer Arena: Premiere of WIENER BLUT
4. August 2024
By Manfred A. Schmid
In the bat it is the champagne that is ultimately blamed for the turbulent mix-ups, misunderstandings, deceptions and attempts at infidelity. In the operetta Wiener bloodalso by Johann Strauss Jr., but with his approval by Adolf Müller Jr., then house composer at the Theater an der Wien, compiled from the master’s rich work for a libretto by Victor Léon and Leo Stein and premiered in 1899, it is Viennese blood that is said to be to blame for the polyamorous entanglements into which Count Balduin, ambassador of the German principality of Reuss-Schleiz-Greiz in Vienna, has become involved. This probably refers to the Viennese ease with which people in this country go about their business when it comes to flirting, having affairs, and the like. In this sense, the Count is a victim of the prevailing conditions here when, alongside his wife Gabriele, he has been having a relationship with the dancer Franziska Cagliari for years and then also begins to try to win the favor of the probiermamsell Pepi. However, in order to maintain this sloppy network of relationships in the long term, a phenomenal talent for logistical organization would be required. Count Baldwin is not exactly blessed with this, however, and so he maneuvers himself into a situation that gradually becomes more and more precarious. Everything is made even more complicated when his boss, Prince of Ypsheim-Gindelbach, Prime Minister of Reuss-Schleiz-Greiz, arrives at the Congress of Vienna in 1814, wants to see everything through and in doing so, throws everything into disarray. Kagler, carousel owner and musician, also causes confusion when he tries to advocate for a more legitimate status for his daughter Franziska. And finally there is Josef, the count’s busy valet, who, like Leporello once did, knows how to rescue his master from many a predicament. At a large “Remasuri” in Grinzing, all those involved meet, the situation escalates and then – thanks to the saving excuse of “Viennese blood” – resolves itself more or less amicably.
Michael Laknermaster of the house, stages the operetta with a light touch and a great sense for the comic moments in the plot, which is plagued by many flirtations and taboos. He thus delivers a rich moral picture that encompasses both the time of the Congress of Vienna and the time of the creation of the operetta at the end of the 19th century. The stage design by Erich Uiberlacker, which is dominated by three arches that remain present in modified form in the changing locations, corresponds to this time frame, but is, like the delightful costumes of Friederike Friedrichmore likely to be attributed to the Biedermeier period than to the turn of the century.
Beppo Binder (Josef) and Andy Lee Lang (Kagler)
Michael Zehetner and that Baden Stage Orchestra show once again that Viennese sounds, especially waltzes and dances, are part of the basic musical equipment in the imperial city and are very well maintained.
Of the three female characters that the Count is after, Sieglinde Feldhofer’s as his long neglected wifen Gabriele is by far the most interesting. She is able to perfectly implement the director’s intention of bringing a woman onto the stage who is self-confident and self-determined in life and who, probably as a result of personal experience, turns out to be an “advocate of free love and an open relationship”. Feldhofer is also able to fully convince vocally with her radiant soprano voice.
Nicole Lubinger as Franziska Cagliari leaves no doubt as to why the Count likes her as a permanent lover. However, her singing lacks a little intelligibility, especially at the beginning.
Verena Barth-Jurca fulfills her soubrette role of Pepi Pleininger with acrobatic as well as comedic agility. In the scenes where Pepi, a “probationer” by profession, a kind of forerunner of today’s mannequins and models, has to step in as a dancer (choreography Anna Life), she shines with deliberately clumsy scenes and provides many laughs. But in places she also comes very close to overacting.
Clemens Kerschbaumer has a powerful, insinuating tenor and is also a good choice for the somewhat overwhelmed narrow-gauge Don Giovanni Balduin Count Zedlau. The duets in which his wife Gabriele slowly becomes emotionally closer to him are presented by both of them with increasing inner involvement.
The baritone Franz Frickel as Prince Ypsheim-Gindelbach enriches the general hilarity in curious scenes when he, the Saxon, tries to decipher the Viennese dialect and is accompanied by the ever-present valet Josef (Beppo Binder) is extensively supported.
A bombshell surprise is Andy Lee Lang as an excellent cast for the typically Viennese Prater carousel owner Kagler, father of Franziska Cagliari. The musician, known as the Austrian “ambassador of rock ‘n’ roll”, can demonstrate his art as a pianist in a short interlude, but impresses above all with his sophisticated acting and singing performance in the rendition of “Sell my clothes, I’m going to heaven”accompanied by Christian Hoeller on the accordion.
Smaller performances of an entertaining nature Mario Fancovic (Fiakerkutscher), Russi Nikoff (Count Bitokowski) and Daniel Greabu (Kellner Leopold).
The Baden stage delivers with this successful production of Wiener Blut, together with the also current Csardasfürstin, not only a welcome summer entertainment (performances until September 1st), but also provides what has been missing at the Vienna Volksoper since Lotte de Beer took over: appropriate cultivation of this genre with appealing performances.
