Composer

:

Richard Heuberger

Genre

:

Orchestral

Compose Date

:

1899

Average_duration

:

8:59

"Ihr Excellenz" is a comic operetta composed by Richard Heuberger. It premiered on December 23, 1902, at the Carltheater in Vienna, Austria. The operetta consists of three acts and is set in Vienna during the 19th century. The first act opens with a scene in the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, where the Minister's secretary, Baron von Schwind, is trying to impress his boss with his knowledge of foreign languages. The Minister is preoccupied with a diplomatic crisis, as the King of a neighboring country has threatened to declare war on Austria. The Minister's daughter, Helene, enters the room and informs her father that she has fallen in love with a young man named Max. The Minister is initially opposed to the match, but eventually relents when he learns that Max is the son of a wealthy industrialist. The second act takes place at a ball hosted by the Minister. Max and Helene are reunited, but their happiness is short-lived when the King of the neighboring country arrives at the ball and demands that the Minister hand over a political prisoner. The Minister refuses, and the King declares war on Austria. The third act takes place in the war-torn streets of Vienna. Max and Helene are separated, and Max is conscripted into the army. The Minister is captured by the enemy, but is eventually rescued by Max and his fellow soldiers. The operetta ends with a joyful reunion between Max and Helene. "Ihr Excellenz" is characterized by its lively and catchy melodies, witty dialogue, and satirical commentary on the political climate of the time. The operetta was a commercial success and was later adapted into a film in 1952.

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