The Duchess of Chicago at Oper Leipzig
About the Event
What do you get when you cross a rich American heiress with an heir from Eastern Europe who seems to be deeply in debt? a musical clash of cultures, of course!
Emmerich Kálmán composes in his 'Duchess of Chicago' a funny Clash of Cultures musically, in which Jazz and Slowfox compete against Viennese Waltz and Csárdás. Ninety years after its world premiere, this rarity of operetta in a production by director and actor Ulrich Wiggers first comes to musical comedy.
You can buy anything for money! That's the conviction of Mary Lloyd, the daughter of an American billionaire. She bets with her friends at the Eccentric Ladies Club to buy a prince and his kingdom with her checks. And since true princes only exist abroad, Mary goes to old Europe for her mission — with a jazz band whose music soon dominates the ballrooms from Budapest to Vienna. When Maria meets Sándor Boris, Crown Prince of the heavily indebted Sylvary in one of these establishments, it seems that she has found the right betting object. The purchase of Sylvarian Castle is quickly settled with American dollars, but Mary can't win the prince's heart so easily — after all, she still beats very old‐fashioned to the rhythm of Waltz and Csárdás and can only gain so much from the new rhythm of Charleston and Foxtrott. When, contrary to expectations, the old and new worlds come closer together, the decisive question finally arises: money or love…. or both?
Cast / Production
Musical direction: Tobias Engeli
Production company: Ulrich Wiggers
Choreography: Kati Heidebrecht
Stage, costumes: Leif Erik Heine
Choral production: Mathias Drechsler
Mary Lloyd: Lilli Wishers
Princess Rosemarie: Laura Scherwitzl
James Bondy: Jeffery Krueger
Benjamin Lloyd: Milko Milev
Sandor Boris: Adam Sanchez
Count Boyazovich: Hinrich Horn
King Pankraz 17: Milko Milev
Tihanyi: Justus Seeger
Primate: Thomas Prokein
Marquis Perolin: George Leader
Ballet: Ballett Musikalische Komödie
Choir: Chor Musikalische Komödie
Extra Series: Komparserie
Orchestra: Orchester Musikalische Komödie
Children's Choir: Kinderchor Der Oper Leipzig
