GIUDITTA

by Franz Lehar (1870 - 1948).
a musical comedy in five scenes to a libretto by Paul Knepler and Fritz Lohner. Premiered in Vienna, January, 1934.

The cast

Manuele Biffi and his wife Giuditta
Octavio, a captain
Antonio, a lieutenant
Lord Barrymore
a Duke and his adjutant
Martini, a night-club proprietor
Anita, a fisher-girl
Pierrino, a fruitseller
Sebastiano, an inn-keeper
Two streetsingers
Officers, nightclubbers etc.

Synopsis

The action takes place in Southern Europe and North Africa, some time after 1920.

Scene 1

The fruit vendor Pierrino, who wants to emigrate to North Africa, sings the praises of his wares displayed in a seaside market town in Southern Europe. The fisher-maid, Anita, who is in love with Pierrino, shares his ambitions. Meanwhile, Manuele, a labourer, working hard trying to satisfy the needs of his young wife Giuditta fails to do so, as she, feeling trapped and unfulfilled, wants to leave him. An opportunity for her to do so arises when Giuditta falls in love with a certain Captain Octavio, who she sees drinking in a tavern. When the Captain declares that he is to be transferred to a garrison town in North Africa in the next few days, Giuditta declares her willingness to follow him there.

Scene 2

Following their arrival in the garrison town in North Africa to which the Captain has been sent, Guiditta and Octavio express their love for each other. The fruit vendor, Pierrino, and his love, Anita, have also moved to North Africa, and come to visit Octavio and Giuditta and are made welcome in their garrison house.

Scene 3

Following a native uprising, Octavio is transferred to the front, where he is visited by Giuditta. Thoughts of deserting the army occur to Octavio, when he finds it hard to leave his beloved behind, but he is dissuaded from carrying these out when reminded of his soldier's oath by Lieutenant Antonio.

Scene 4

While Octavio is away at the front, Giuditta has become a celebrated dancer and singer at the 'Alcazar' club in a North African town. The fruit vendor Pierrino and Anita are in the audience, for one of her appearances, but Pierrino is unhappy and wants to go home. Octavio, too, turns up to see Giuditta (having recently been obliged to give up his profession as a soldier), but when he sees her in the company of a wealthy Englishman, Lord Barrymore, becomes depressed.

Scene 5

The action now returns to Southern Europe, where, in a smart city hotel, the ex-soldier Octavio, earns his living as a bar pianist. In a private room in this hotel, a party is being held by a Duke, in honour of his 'lady-friend', and when Octavio is called upon to play for them, he recognizes that Giuditta is the Duke's 'lady-friend'. When Giuditta sees Octavio again in this difficult situation, something of her old affection for him is rekindled, but Octavio rebuffs her, and turns away resignedly. Their love is long since ended. It was just a story, after all.