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Overview

Synopsis

Lisa has grown tired of the endless frivolity of dances and parties, and of gifts and flirting from men like Count Gustl, always wanting to get her attention. Instead, she wishes she could find a deeper and more meaningful love. She thinks she has found exactly that when she meets Prince Sou-Chong. He is so different from the men she is used to, preferring tea over wine, and keeping his feelings hidden behind his smiles. Lisa falls in love almost instantly, and returns to China with Sou-Chong.

Life in China is very different for Viennese Lisa, and she struggles to understand the cultural differences. She quickly grows unhappy and asks to go home. But Prince Sou-Chong will not let her leave; she is his wife, and she must stay in China with him. Count Gustl learns of Lisa’s situation from Sou-Chong’s sister, and they try to help Lisa escape from the palace. Their attempt to escape is thwarted as Sou-Chong catches them. He realises the pain he is causing to Lisa, and lets her go home, accompanied by Count Gustl. He will follow the teachings of Buddha, and hide his own heartbreak behind a smile.

Although it never reached the popularity of Lehar’s The Merry Widow, Das Land des Lachelns or The Land of Smiles has some excellent musical moments, and the aria ‘Dein ist mein ganzes Herz’, (‘You are my heart’s delight’) will continue to delight audiences for many years. It is perhaps due to the problematic representations of Chinese culture that this operetta fell out of favor with audiences, but more recent productions, including the 2001 production by Seefestspiele Mörbisch, the contrasting cultural elements have been embraced in a more respectful manner, and have focussed on the main message of the opera ‘immer nur lacheln’: no matter what, keep smiling.

Show Information

Music
Franz Lehár
Libretto
Fritz Löhner-Beda , Ludwig Herzer
Category
Operetta
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
3
First Produced
1929
Genres
Drama, Romance
Settings
Period, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
Vienna, China, 1912
Cast Size
medium
Orchestra Size
Medium
Dancing
Some Dance
Licensor
Bärenreiter-Verlag
Ideal For
Diverse Cast, Ensemble Cast, Professional Opera, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Mature Adult, Young Adult, Elderly, Adult, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen Characters, Medium Cast

Context

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Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Lisa

Lead

Female

Soprano

Prince Sou-Chong

Lead

Male

Tenor

Princess Mi

Supporting

Female

Soprano

Count Gustav ‘Gustl’ von Pottensein

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Tschang

Featured

Male

Baritone

Count Ferdinand Lichtenfels

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Old Woman

Featured

Female

Non-singer

General

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Ensemble Characters

Featured

Either Gender

Non-singer

Chorus

Ensemble

Either Gender

Mezzo-Soprano, Soprano, Tenor, Bass, Baritone, Contralto

Songs

Overture

Act One - Vienna

  • No. 1 Introduction ‘Hoch soll sie leben’ - Lisa, Gustl, Chorus
  • No. 1b Aria ‘Ah, ah’ - Lisa
  • No. 2 Duet ‘Es is nich das erstemal’ - Lisa, Gustl
  • No. 3 Immer nur lächeln ‘Ich trete ins Zimmer’ - Sou-Chong
  • No. 4 Duet ‘Ach, trinken Sie vielleicht’ - Lisa, Sou-Chong
  • No. 5 Aria ‘Von Apfelblüten einen Kranz’ - Sou-Chong
  • Dialogue ‘Mein Kind, ich warne dich’ - Lichtenfels, Lisa
  • No. 6 Finale I - ‘Wir sind allein’ - Lisa, Sou-Chong

Act Two - Peking

  • No. 7 Introduction
  • No. 8 Duet ‘Dich sehe ich’, ‘Wer hat die Liebe uns in Herz gesenkt’ - Lisa, Sou-Chong
  • No. 9 Tanzlied ‘Im Salon zue blau’n Pagode’ - Mi
  • No. 10 Duet ‘Als Gott die Welt erschuf’ - Mi, Gustl
  • No. 11 Aria ‘Dein ist mein ganzes Herz’ - Sou-Chong
  • No. 12 Aria ‘Alles vorbei’ - Lisa
  • No. 12b Chinese Wedding Procession - Lisa, Wedding Guests, Tschang, Sou-Chong
  • No. 13 Finale II ‘Mit welchem Techt’ - Lisa, Sou-Chong

Act Three - Peking

  • No. 14 Aria ‘Marchen vom Glück’ - Lisa and Slaves
  • No. 15 Tanzlied ‘Zig, zig, zig’ - Mi, Gustl
  • No. 15b Aria ‘Wie rasch verwelkte doch’ - Mi
  • No. 16 Finale III ‘Dieselbe Sonne’ - Lisa, Mi, Sou-Chong, Gustl

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

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Scenes

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Key Terms

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Guide Written By:

Wendy Silvester

Wendy Silvester

Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.