After Ravel’s “L’ Enfant et les Sortilèges” (2009/10) and Cimarosa’s “Il matrimonio segreto” (2010/11) an operetta, namely Albert Roussel’s “Le Testament de la Tante Caroline”, will feature for the first time in the programme of the Opera Studio.

The French composer Albert Roussel (1869–1937) began studying rather late after having first been trained for the French Navy, but his first successes came soon enough. He wrote seven works for the stage, only one of which was however an operetta: “Le Testament de la Tante Caroline”. With a cast somewhat reminiscent of that of Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi”, the piece depicts a humorous search for the fortune of the aunt of the title. The lady had set down that only the eldest son of one of her nieces should inherit her wealth, and if such a son does not come to light within a year, then the Salvation Army will get the money. This bequest puts the two nieces and their husbands under great pressure, since they have not yet produced offspring and are of course eager to inherit. However, it turns out that one of the nieces has a secret which solves all problems.

This French operetta, which was given its world première in Czech at Olomouc in 1936, has never been performed in Germany, despite the existence of a German translation which was successfully presented in Prague in 1937. Thus it is the privileged task of the new members of the Opera Studio to be able to stage the German première of the little-known piece.

 

Musikalische Leitung Christoph Stöcker
Inszenierung Mechthild Hoersch
Bühne und Kostüm Stefanie Grau
 
Lucine Luiza Fatyol
Christine Cornelia Berger
Beatrice Jessica Stavros
Noemie Maria Kataeva
Noel Ovidiu Purcel
Notar David Jerusalem
Arzt Bogdan Baciu
Jobard Attila Fodre
Ferdinand Raphael Pauß
Orchester altstadtherbstorchester