The Bohemian Girl
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The Bohemian Girl is an operetta composed by Michael Balfe with a libretto by Alfred Bunn. The plot is loosely based on a Cervantes tale, La Gitanilla. It was first produced in London in November 1843.
Contents |
[edit] Plot Summary
[edit] Act I
A Polish noble, Thaddeus, in exile in Austria, joins a band of Gypsies. He saves Arline, the infant daughter of Count Arnheim, from being killed by a deer. The count, in gratitude, invites him to a banquet, where Thaddeus refuses to toast a statue of the Austrian Emperor, instead splashing it with wine, and escapes from his enraged host with the help of his gypsy friend Devilshoof, who kidnaps Arline.
[edit] Act II
Twelve years have elapsed. Arline can only vaguely remember her noble upbringing. She and Thaddeus are sweethearts, but the Gypsy Queen is also in love with him. Arnheim's nephew Florestein falls in love with Arline (not recognising her), but the Queen plants a medallion stolen from Florestein on Arline. Florestein recognises the medallion and has her arrested. She is tried before the Count. who recognises the scar left her on her arm from the deer attack in Act I.
[edit] Act III
Arline is at a ball in her father's castle, where she feels nostalgic for her Romany upbringing and for her true love. Thaddeus breaks into the castle through a window and pleads for her hand. He eventually wins the trust of the count whom he insulted twelve years ago, and the Count gives them his blessing. The Gypsy Queen stalks Thaddeus to the castle and tries to break in through the same window to kill Arline with a musket and kidnap Thaddeus. Before she can execute her plan, however, Devilshoof tries to wrest the weapon from her hands and she is accidentally killed in the scuffle.
[edit] Characters
- Arline - soprano
- Thaddeus - tenor
- Count Arnheim - baritone
- Queen of the Gypsies - contralto
- Devilshoof, Chief of the Gypsies - bass
- Florenstein - tenor
- Buda - soprano
- Captain of the Guard - bass
- Officer - tenor
[edit] Songs
[edit] Act 1
- 1. "Up With The Banner, And Down With The Slave"
- 2. "'Tis Sad To Leave Our Fatherland"
- 3. "In The Gypsy's Life"
- 4. "Is No Succour Near At Hand?"
- 5. "Down With The Daring Slave"
- 6. "What Sound Breaks On The Ear?"
- 7. "Follow, Follow"
[edit] Act II
- 8. "Silence, Silence"
- 9. "Wine, Wine!"
- 10. "I Dreamt That I Dwelt In Marble Halls (see below)"
- 11. "The Secret of Her Birth"
- 12. "Happy And Light Of Heart Are Those"
- 13. "'Tis Gone, The Past Was All A Dream"
- 14. "Come With The Gipsy Bride"
- 15. "Life Itself Is, At The Best"
- 16. "To The Hall!"
- 17. "That Greif May Call Its Own"
- 18. "Hold! Hold! We Cannot Give The Life We Take"
[edit] Act III
- 18. "You'll Remember Me"
- 19. "Through All The World Thou Wilt Fly, My Love"
- 20. Welcome To The Present"
- 21. "Oh, What Full Delight"
[edit] I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls
This is the outstanding song from the operetta. Arline sings it as she describes her very vague memories of her childhood. It has been recorded by many artists, Enya and Celtic Woman among them.
- I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls
- With vassals and serfs at my side,
- And of all those assembled within those walls
- That I was the home and the pride
- I had riches too great to count, I could boast
- Of high ancestral name
- But I also dreamt, which pleased me most,
- That you loved me still the same,
- That you loved me, still loved me the same,
- That you loved me, still loved me the same,
- I dreamt that suitors sought my hand
- That knights on bended knee
- And with vows no maiden heart could withstand
- They pledged their faith to me
- And I dreamt that one of that noble host
- Came forth my hand to claim
- But I also dreamt, that charmed me the most
- That you loved me still the same
- That you loved me, still loved me the same
- That you loved me, still loved me the same
According to superstition, it is unlucky to sing this song in a theatre. Another unlucky song in theatre circles is Three Blind Mice.
[edit] Film versions
A silent movie version was made in Britain in 1922. The great Ellen Terry, much better known as a stage actress, made her last screen appearance as Buda the nursemaid. Ivor Novello plays Thaddeus, Gladys Cooper plays Arline, and C. Aubrey Smith plays Devilshoof.
An early sound version of the operetta was filmed in Britain in 1927, starring Pauline Johnson as Arline and Herbert Langley as Thaddeus.
The best known version is undoubtedly the Laurel and Hardy film, described in the opening credits as "A Comedy Version of The Bohemian Girl". The characters played by Laurel and Hardy do not appear in the stage operetta, nor does Thaddeus in the film.
