A Comic Opera in Three Acts
English Lyrics by Adrian Ross
English Dialogue by Charles H.E. Brookfield
From the French of Messrs. Meilhac and Halavy
Music by Offenbach
Arranged and abridged for broadcasting
Act I. An Encampment -ÂÂ Morning (Four days elapse)
Act II. State Apartment in the Palace - Â
Afternoon
Act III, Scene 1. The Crimson Suite - Evening
Scene 2. A Market Place - ÂÂDawn
The Opera deals with the happenings at the Court of a certain Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, who came to power at a very early age, with no other guidance than that afforded by an aged chamberlain, Baron Puck, and an old general named Boum, both of whom have very antiquated ideas of statecraft. In the army is a young recruit named Fritz, who is in love with a peasant girl, Wanda, but the Grand Duchess herself raises him to the rank of General, and eventually makes an avowal of her love for him after he has led her army to victory. Fritz, however, is too obtuse to accept such an honour, and the Grand Duchess resolves to take her revenge by joining a conspiracy between Puck, Boum, and a certain Prince Paul, one of her neglected suitors, to get rid of Fritz. Another personage, named Baron Grog, assists in the and urges the Duchess to marry Prince Paul. Everything, of course, turns out happily in the end; Fritz is allowed to marry Wanda, and the Duchess gives her hand to Prince Paul.
