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Overview
Synopsis
Time is passing for the Marschallin, and her passionate affair with the young Count Octavian Rofrano makes her feel it more than ever. She is not the young girl she remembers, but she also does not know how to continue on as this older woman. When her cousin, Baron Ochs von Lerchenau, announces his engagement to the young Sophie von Faninal, she remembers her own forced marriage many years before and the passage of time seems even more poignant. She chooses Octavian to be the Baron’s rose-bearer, appointing him to carry out the custom of delivering the silver rose to the Baron’s bride-to-be.
The Baron’s plans to marry the young heiress to the Faninal fortune are thwarted when Octavian arrives bearing the rose and steals Sophie’s heart. The Baron’s disgusting behavior and reputation for never settling his debts has not made him popular, so, with the help of several members of the household, a plot is hatched to disgrace him teach him a lesson.
Strauss’s beautiful farce Der Rosenkavalier has something for everyone, and whether the audience are captivated by the incredibly beautiful score, the inclusion of a number of Strauss waltzes, the intricacies of the language used, or the cathartic punishment of the aristocratic buffoon, they continue to return to this opera.
Show Information
- Music
- Richard Strauss
- Libretto
- Hugo von Hofmannsthal
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Les amours du chevalier de Faublas by Louvet de Couvrai and Molière’s comedy Monsieur de Pourceaugnac
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1911
- Genres
- Drama, Dark Comedy, Romance
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Vienna, 1745, 18th century
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- Large Cast, Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult, Elderly, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen Characters
Context
First performed in Dresden, on January 26, 1911, Strauss’s romantic comedy Der Rosenkavalier was immediately successful, and has since enjoyed a place as one of the best-loved operas in the canon.
The librettist, Hofmannsthal had already written Elektra for Strauss, so this was their second collaboration, and they now enjoyed a much closer working relationship. In Der Rosenkavalier, Hofmannsthal offers a full representation of Viennese society, under the
to read the context for Der Rosenkavalier and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act 1 - The bedroom of the Marschallin
The morning sun drapes itself over the lounging body of the Marschallin who, in her lace peignoir, is held by the young Count Octavian kneeling at her side. An intense night of pleasure has left the couple in a blissful dreamlike state. Octavian is in awe of the Marschallin. He is honored to have this private understanding and connection with her, and muses on the words ‘du und Ich’ (‘you and I’) and how the difference makes no sense, and yet it is
to read the plot for Der Rosenkavalier and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Bass, Bass-Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Silent, Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Treble/Boy Soprano, Contralto |
Songs
Der Rosenkavalier is a through-composed piece without strict scene delineations. Guidelines given here are intended to give a general idea of the scenes which occur through the opera, and which characters are involved.
Act 1 - The bedroom of the Marschallin
Einleitung - Introduction
‘Wie Du warst! Wie Du bist!’ - Octavian, Marschallin, The Little Black Boy
‘Maria Theres’!’ - ‘Octavian!’ - Octavian, Marschallin
‘Quinquin, es ist mein Mann!’ - Octavian, Marschallin, Major-Domo (Offstage)
‘Selbstverstȁndlich empfȁngt mich Ihro Gnaden’ - Baron Ochs, Major-Domo, Footmen, Octavian, Marschallin
‘Hat Sie schon einmal mit einem Kavalier’ - Baron Ochs, Octavian, Marschallin, Major-Domo
‘Nein, er agiert mir gar zu gut!’ - Marschallin, Octavian, Baron Ochs
‘I komm’ glei’ - Octavian, The Three Noble Orphans, Milliner, Animal Vendor, Elderly Chambermaid, Baron Ochs, Two Footmen, Marschallin, Waiting-woman, Notary, Chef, Kitchen Boy, Scholar, Valzacchi and Annina, The Widow (Mother), Major-domo, the Singer, the Flautist, Hairdresser and Assistant
‘Dir rigori armato il seno’ - Singer, Flautist, as above, plus Leopold, the Almoner, and the Village Chaplain
‘Als Morgengabe’ - Baron Ochs, Notary, Singer
‘Mein lieber Hippolyte’ - Marschallin, Valzacchi, Baron, Annina
‘Da geht er hin, der aufgeblasene schlechte Kerl’ - Marschallin
‘Ach! Du bist wieder da!’ - Marschallin, Octavian
‘Die Zeit ist… Mein schöner Schatz...Ich werder jetzt’ - Marschallin, Octavian
‘Ich hab’ ihn nicht einmal geküßt’ - Marschallin, Four Servants of the Marschallin, The Little Black Boy
Act 2 - The Grand Hall at Herr von Faninal’s
Introduction
'Ein Ernster Tag' - Faninal, Marianne, Major-Domo, Footmen ‘In dieser feirlichen Stunde’ - Faninal, Marianne, Major-Domo, Sophie, Footmen, Three Courtiers
‘Mir ist die Ehre widerfahren’ and ‘Ich bin Euer Liebden sehr verbunden’- Octavian, Sophie, Footmen, Faninal’s servants
‘Ich kenn’ Ihn schon recht wohl’ - Sophie, Octavian, Faninal’s servants, Major-Domo, Octavian’s Footmen, Marianne
‘Jetzt aber kommt mein Herr Zukünftiger’ - Octavian, Sophie, Faninal, Baron Ochs, Marianne, Major-Domo, Almoner, Leopold, Huntsman, Faninal’s Servants
‘Eh bein! Nun plauder Sie uns eins’ - Sophie, Baron Ochs, Faninal, Octavian Marianne, as above, Notary, Clerk, Faninal’s Major-Domo
‘Wird Sie das Mannsbild da heiraten’ - Octavian, Sophie, Faninal’s Major-Domo, Marianne, Sophie, Maids and Footmen, Major-Domo
‘Herr Baron von Lerchenau!’ - Valzacchi, Annina, Octavian, Sophie, Baron Ochs
‘Mord! Mord! Mein Blut!’ - Valzacchi, Annina, Octavian, Sophie, Baron Ochs, Lerchenau’s Servants, Faninal’s Servants, Marianne
‘Herr Schwiegersohn! Wie ist ihm denn?’ - Faninal, Baron Ochs, Octavian, Sophie
‘Blamage! Mir auseinander meine Eh’ - Faninal, Baron Ochs, Octavian, Sophie, Doctor, Major-Domo, Servants, Lerchenau’s Servants
‘Is gut! Is gut! Ein Schluck’ - Baron Ochs, Faninal, Doctor, Footman
‘Da lieg’ ich!’ - Baron Ochs, Faninal, Lerchenau’s Servants, Annina, Doctor
‘Ohne mich, ohne mich, jeder Tag dir so bang’ - Baron Ochs, Annina
Act 3 - A private room in an inn
_Introduction and Pantomime _- Annina, Valzacchi, Octavian, Old Woman, Three Suspicious Men, Waiter and a Boy, Baron Ochs, His Valet and Leopold, Innkeeper, Several Waiters
‘Hab’n Euer Gnaden noch weitre Befehle?’ - Innkeeper, Waiters, Baron Ochs, Valzacchi
‘Nein, nein, nein, nein! I trink’ kein Wein’ - Octavian, Baron Ochs, Three Suspicious Men, Valet
‘Es ist ja eh all’s eins’ - Octavian, Baron Ochs ‘Da und da und da und da’ - Baron Ochs, Annina, Octavian, Valzacchi, Innkeeper, Three Waiters, Children
‘Halt! Keiner rührt sich!’ - Police Commissary with Two Constables, Valzacchi, Octavian, Baron Ochs, Innkeeper, Valet
‘Zur Stelle! Was wird von mir gewünscht?’ - Faninal, Baron Ochs, Police Commissary, Children, Onlookers, Sophie, Men, Servants, Annina, Innkeeper
‘Sind desto eher im klaren’ - Baron Ochs, Police Commissary, Octavian, Innkeeper, Constables, Annina, Children
‘Bin glücklich über Massen’ - Baron Ochs, Octavian, Police Commissary, Marschallin, Sophie, Marschallin’s men, the Baron’s valet, the Little Black Boy, two of Faninal’s Servants
‘Laß er nun gut sein und verschwind Er’ - Marschallin, Baron Ochs, Sophie, Police Commissary, Octavian
‘Leopold, wir gehn!’ - Baron Ochs, Annina, Children, Waiters, Innkeeper, Musicians, Coachmen, Porter, the Suspicious Men, Valzacchi, Leopold
‘Mein Gott, es war nicht mehr als eine Farce’ - Sophie, Octavian, Marschallin
‘Marie Theres’!’ - ‘Hab mir’s gelobt, Ihn lieb zu ha…’ - Octavian, Marschallin, Sophie
‘Ist ein Traum, kann nicht wirklich sein’ - Sophie, Octavian, Faninal, Faninal’s Footmen, Marschallin, the Little Black Boy
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.