Der Zigeunerprimas
(The Gypsy Virtuoso)

by Emerich Kálmán (1882 - 1953).
First performance October 1912, Vienna.
Accepted as the work which established Kálmán as a major composer of operetta's and led to his reputation being established in the United States.

Act 1

Hungary. Introduction and Scene with Musicians

The man who here first so patiently instructs the children of his native village Lörincfalva in the art of fiddling and then so sonorously engages in self-pity is of course none other than the famous gypsy primas Pali Rácz, who, first, was a real-life figure and, second, whose gouty finger have already forced him to give up the violin in Kálmán's operetta. His grand days really lie long in the past. Admittedly, he is ready and willing to admit this just as little as he is to acknowledge his son Laczi's academic training - given the fact that he himself is proud of his native talent, which turns out to be combined with an incredible business sense; 'What does that mean, incredible? The merchandise of Rácz's first Hungarian gypsy factory enjoys world renown. What have I made out of this miserable dump? Lörincfalva today has its own industry; it exports gypsies. Just as one buys champagne from Heidsik, cannons from Krupp, and livestock from Hagenbeck, so too one places orders for gypsies from Rácz.'

Incredible! But musical capitalism is combined with a pronounced sense of family values, which has blessed Rácz with sixteen children from three marriages - not counting his illegitimate offspring. And it is Sári, his eldest daughter, who takes care of all the kids. She is a 'robust child of nature from the puszta' [Hungarian countryside] as we read in a review, and, as such, the forerunner of all the puszta sweethearts of German film right through to the highly memorable Piroska. Sári, who has not yet allowed a man to kiss her, is introduced together with her siblings with a song about a proud king's daughter who didn't want a man.

The king's daughter and Sári have one thing in common; they do not want to get married, and in this she is fundamentally different from Pali Rácz. He cannot resist tying the knot for the fourth time and has his eyes set precisely on his niece Juliska. But she is in love with his eldest son Laczi. In order to lure this dreamy child of the Muses from his private reserve, she pretends to yield to Pali Rácz's advances and thus ends up causing a debacle inasmuch as father and son become involved; not only in erotic competition but also in a musical contest. While Loczi has become acquainted with classical music at the conservatory and learned to love it, Pali hates all printed music and swears by improvisation. A conflict of Wagnerian dimensions ensues - even if, in contrast to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, it is here the old master who 'sings as if by second nature', while the young man represent the academic rules. He makes this immediately deal with a majestic improvisation on the piano going over into a waltz addressed to Juliska and giving her to understand how things are to operate in their shared heaven: 'And their tongues they click, / the little angels, bare and naked, / and begin to waltz / strictly in three-four time.

While the two go off doing their dance steps. Sári makes her unexpected entrance, pursued by a man who simply grabs her and kisses her. He can only be a Frenchman. And sure enough it is Gaston, Count Irini from Paris. Sári is horrified but Gaston but Irini is ready with an explanation: it is all in his genes! 'All Irini's have one and the same life story; eight years at the officers school at St. Cyr, then four years as a lieutenant, five years of making debts, two years under guardian's arrest' and it is precisely in this last phase that Gaston the member of the family in Lörincfalva finds himself, accompanied for the purpose by Monsieur Cadeau, who in contrast to his name, does anything but make gifts. Gaston is under his guardianship and among the Irini's this phase is usually followed by a 'great passion for a beauty of inferior birth'. The bold kiss thus has a method behind it. Nevertheless, in Sári, Gaston has found the wrong girl. She takes musical revenge with a peppery dance from the puszta.

But it is certainly not for dancing that Gaston, Count Irini, has come from Paris to Lörincfalva, not at all so under Cadeau's guardianship, but in order to hire his old friend Pali Rácz for a feast that he intends to give in honor of the King of Massilia in his Paris palace The gypsy primas is stricken by shyness and declines melodramatically. 'I was seventeen years, old, a young lad, and in London played at a ball for dancing. In the intermission I met a young baroness from Paris. We sat in a dark little corner and chatted. Her eyes were all aglow, and she gave me a hug, and I kissed her, until her father caught us and made a row. He took her back to Paris, I couldn't marry her. I didn't want to disturb her peace. So I've never been to Paris since'.

And for this reason he also does not want to go to Paris in the future. Captivating tones then reach Gaston's ear. When he learns who is conjuring them out of his violin, he too is captivated. If the old Rácz will not come to Paris, then the young one will. But Gaston has made this arrangement without consulting the old man. Suddenly Pali Rácz also wants to go to Paris and puts his son in his place with what is not exactly fatherly love: 'You're such a dear, good fellow, but a primas, you're not. Look, either one is born for it, or one forgets about it! Do you have temperament? Do you have fire? Can you cry and laugh at the same time? Fiddle and command all at once? Play and flirt with pretty ladies at one and the same moment? A commander, a Betyar, and a heart-breaker in one? That's a primas - and that you're not!'

Act II

Paris

The proud hero who is greeted with such paeans at Gaston's feast is none other than King Heribert VII of Massilia. Although all the guests know this and he himself reveals this fact in his singing, Heribert VII insists on his incognito role as a common count with the spicy name of Estragon [Tarragon]. As such, he seeks amusement among the notorious Parisian demi-mondaines, who have been invited in large numbers by his friend Irini. Gaston himself is not so much interested in perfumed sweet things. Since his return to Paris, he has often thought of Lárincfalva. Therefore, he has hired not only Pali Rácz but also his prodigal son Laczi to conduct the dance music. And he has sent back Cadeau to bring Juliska to Paris - and of course Sári too. Decked out in the best Sunday attire that the puszta has ever seen, she thus is in Paris! And how is she received? Not at all.

Gaston assiduously ignores her and makes a point of showing interest in Juliska. When he is so bold to make fun of her Hungarian headdress, however, Sári has no other alternative but to storm off in a rage with Cadeau. Juliska suddenly finds herself alone with Laczi, from whom she has not heard anything since his flight from home.

After this valse lento typical of Kálmán on the theme of transitoriness, host Gaston finally presents surprise guest Pali Rácz to his guest of honor Estragon, with Pali steadfastly refusing to let his violin out of his hands.

Why it is that Rácz is practically in love with his violin but it is referred to as his 'Old Stradivarius' remains a mystery to the Parisians. So does why it is precisely that 'women grumble, grumble', bill at least this corresponds to Sári's mood. Nevertheless, she has thrown on a little something or, more precisely, a ball gown very much in the Parisian style. Even Gaston can no longer resist and abandons his game of hide-and-seek. With a grand gesture, he is ready to renounce his castle, his wagon, his horses, his monocle, his champagne, and his patent-leather boots - only to be able to dance with Sári into heaven.

Not only Gaston finds Sári captivating. His Royal Estragon Majesty is also all fire and flame for her heart of paprika - Estragon and Paprika! This royal flirtation becomes much too hot for Gaston But not for Papa Rácz, who already hears the wedding bells ringing and gives his daughter a good piece of advice: 'Put on the charm act! He seems to like you. Just think: Me the father-in-law of a scepter-swinger.

Sári has hardly gone off with His Majesty the king when father and son Rácz meet. Pali Rácz of course has his own opinion about the fact that his son is conducting the table music; 'Fine circumstance for an artist' Swing the baton when small fry want to hop!' He entirely forgets his own beginnings and sets his sights on a violin competition in the festival hall in the finale to Act II in the manner of the Meistersinger: showdown. Since, unlike Hans Sachs, he lacks insight into his own madness, not to mention fine control of it, he ends up falling victim to it. The public turns its back on him and loudly applauds his son.

Act III

In order finally to be happy, 'eye to eye, mouth to mouth', Gaston, Count Irini, has brought his messaline gypsy bride Sári to his grandmother's castle. He wants to present the former to the latter. And lo and behold: for unknown reasons the resolute lady is in no way outraged, no, she even congratulates her grandson about his choice. Forget about noble obligations! And when Juliska comes bursting In under Cadeau's guardianship, the grandmotherly countless develops matchmaking energies, that one would hardly have thought she had in her. She wants to save the pretty young thing from Rácz's clutches and place her happiness in a young man's hand. Juliska can hardly comprehend it and blissfully dances off with her Loczi. Pali Rácz also cannot understand it and complains to his old Stradivarius.

As much as he is grieved and no matter how much the disgrace of the festival grounds in the second finale gnaws on the dethroned master primo; of Lörincfalvo, his madness monologue In Act III would have come too late to save him from an erotic as well as musical disaster if not for Irini's devilish grand-mother. It turns out that the two have a past that extends into the present - and a common one! Gaston's grandmother is none other than Pali Rácz's young love from Paris Both drink a cognac on learning this fact! After they have sent off the young people two by two, they spend some time together. And the whole messaline clan makes its way back home to Lörincfalva, led by the two ladies Sári and Juliska.