Overview
Synopsis
Leopold, the head waiter at The White Horse Inn is stressed. It is high season for the hotel, and he is inundated with guests demanding his attention. Not to mention his feelings for his boss, Josepha Vogelhuber, which are definitely complicating matters. And then there’s the issue of Dr. Siedler returning to the hotel today, much to Josepha’s enthusiasm. It is just too much for him when Josepha asks him to leave a gift basket in Dr. Siedler’s room, and Leopold finds himself admitting how he really feels about her, and risking his job. Josepha threatens to fire him, but right now they need to prepare for the arrival of another distinguished guest: Kaiser Franz Joseph. Leopold does his best to keep his professionalism, but ends up causing an embarrassing scene when Josepha arrives arm in arm with Dr. Siedler. The Kaiser understands exactly what has happened, and advises Josepha to live in reality and to stop dreaming. She calls a meeting with Leopold, who is expecting to be dismissed. Instead, she dismisses him as head waiter, and promotes him to husband.
Based on the play by Oscar Blumenthal, inspired by a real-life experience, the operetta version of Im weissn Rössl has enjoyed success almost continually since its first performance, on operatic stages, in adaptations for Broadway and the West End, and several movie adaptations.
Show Information
- Libretto
- Ralph Benatsky
- Category
- Operetta
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1930
- Genres
- Comedy
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Wolfgangsee, Austria, early 20th century
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Ideal For
- College/University, Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly, Late Teen, Child, Early Teen Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
_Author’s note: Im weissen Rössl was also a popular Broadway and West End show, with significant differences in the songs. The focus here is on the original german operetta. _
**Act One **
Introduction - Der Reiseführer
‘Aber meine Herrschaften’ - Piccolo, Reiseführer, Leopold, Chorus
‘Einmal nur - Es muß was Wunderbares sein’ - Josepha, Leopold
‘Wir sind die Stubenmädchen - Das ist der Zauber der Saison’ - Chorus
‘Wenn das Barometer wieder Sommer macht - Im weißen Rössl am Wolfgangsee’- Dr. Siedler, Josepha, Chorus
‘Im Salzkammergut, da ka' mer gut lustig sein’ - Josepha, Giesecke, Chorus
‘Eine Kuh so wie du’ - Chorus
Einlage 1: ‘Die ganze Welt ist himmelblau’ - Ottilie, Dr. Siedler (Music: Robert Stolz)
‘Im weißen Rössl! - Aber meine Herrschaften - Wenn es schier mal richtig regnet’ - Leopold, Chorus
Act Two
‘Äpfel! Birnen!’ - Josepha, Leopold, Chorus
Einlage 2: ‘Für ein Lächeln von ihr - Zuschau'n kann i net’ - Leopold (Music: Bruno Granichstaedten)
Einlage 3: ‘Als Sigi in der Wiege lag - Was kann der Sigismund dafür, daß er so schön ist’ - Sigismund, Klärchen (Music: Robert Gilbert)
Radetzky Marsch (Music: Johann Strauss I)
‘Rechtes Bein und linkes Bein - O du mein Österreich - Zuschau'n kann i net - Es muß was Wunderbares sein’ - Leopold, Kaiser, Josepha, Siedler, Chorus
Act Three
‘Leise, leise’ - Chorus
‘S’ist einmal im Leben so’ - Kaiser
Jagdruf (Hunting Call)
‘Früher war ich schüchtern - Und als der Herrgot Mai gemacht’ - Klärchen, Sigismund
‘Was kann der Sisgismund dafür, daß er so schön ist’ - Klärchen, Sigismund
‘Erst wann's aus sein wird - Ein Veilchen am Hut’ - Leopold, Siedler, Ottilie, Chorus
‘S’ist einmal im Leben so’ - Josepha
Einlage 4: ‘Was mein Herz zu sagen hat - Mein Liebeslied muß ein Walzer sein’ - Siedler, Ottilie (Music: Robert Stolz)
‘Laßt uns Champus trinken - Eine Kuh so wie du - Im weißen Rössl am Wolfgangsee’ - Josepha, Leopold, Ottilie, Siedler, Chorus
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.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.