 VIKTORIA AND HER HUSSAR
Book by Alfred Grunwald and Dr Fritz Löhner-Beda from the Hungarian
by Emerich Földes. English book and lyrics by Harry Graham. Music
by Paul Abraham
Stadtheater, Leipzig - 7 July, 1930
Palace Theatre, London (adapted by Harry Graham) - 17 September,
1931
Synopsis
Prologue
The show opens in Siberia in the aftermath of World War I where Stefan
Koltay is under sentence of death for being a counter-revolutionary. His
batman's violin becomes the price for their escape. Act I
The Japanese Garden of the American Embassy in Tokyo is the scene
of the impending wedding of Count Ferry Hegedüs, brother to Countess
Viktoria, and Lia San. Countess Viktoria and her husband, the Ambassador
John Cunlight are being posted to St Petersburg. The sadness of their
parting contrasts with the wedding celebrations. It to this setting
that Koltay and his batman Janczi have come. These two have come to
the embassy because Viktoria and Stefan are old friends and he saw
her earlier in the ambassador's car. When the ambassador appears, Koltay
introduces himself as Captain Czaky, an Hungarian citizen. He tells
the ambassador that he and Janczi have escaped imprisonment in Siberia
and seek diplomatic protection. As his wife is Hungarian, Cunlight
readily agrees to the request. What he does not know, however, is that
Viktoria and Stefan had pledged everlasting fidelity to each other
in their earlier lives. The wedding of Ferry and Lia San takes place
and Viktoria and Stefan come face to face.
Act II
Cunlight has been posted to St Petersburg and Koltay and Janczi accompany
him. Janczi is homesick for Hungary and Doroszma but Koltay says they
will only return home if Viktoria goes with him. At a reception Viktoria
tells Koltay that he could be recaptured by the Russians at any time
and should leave. He tells her that it was only the thought of being
with her that kept him going through war and imprisonment - and yet
here she is, the wife of another! She tells his that he had been posted
as being killed when his regiment had been wiped out in battle. It
is obvious that she still loves him but when the Russians enter the
embassy he is determined to leave without her.
Act III
A year later in the town of Doroszma it is the celebration of the grape
harvest. There is an age-old custom that on the day of the wine festival
there shall be three weddings. Janczi and his love Riquette will form
one couple, Ferry and Lia San will be the second (Japanese marriages are
not recognised in Doroszma). Viktoria will form half of the third couple
but will it be a renewal of marriage to Cunlight or to Koltay? |
