Opera Scotland

Tsar has his Photograph Taken Der Zar lässt sich photographieren; The Tsar has his Photograph Taken

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Music

Kurt Weill (b Dessau, 2 March 1900; d New York, 3 April 1950)

Text

Georg Kaiser (1878-1945)

 

Premieres

First Performance: Leipzig (Opera House), 18 February 1928.

First Performance in UK:  London (Bloomsbury Theatre), 12 March 1986.

First Performance in Scotland: Edinburgh Festival c 2005 tbc.

 

Background

This one-act comedy was initially a great success in Germany - second only to The Threepenny Opera.  It has rather faded from sight since then.  It is a sophisticated near-farce, and contains a memorable tango melody.

 

Main Characters

Angèle, a Parisian photographer. (soprano)

False Angèle, a revolutionary

The Tsar

 

Summary

A photographic studio in Paris (1914).  Angèle receives news that the Tsar is coming for a portrait session.  A group of revolutionaries take over the studio and remove her.  By the time the Tsar arrives the studio is manned by the revolutionaries, and a pistol is attached to the camera in preparation.  They are led by a 'false Angèle'.  She is beautiful and plays along as the Tsar attempts to seduce her.  When word arrives that an assassination is planned, she and her colleagues flee.  The real Angèle returns, and the photograph is taken as planned.