Elisabeth (musical)
A musical about Empress Elisabeth's life and her obsession with Death.
Elisabeth is a German-language musical commissioned by the Vereinigte Bühnen Wien, with book and lyrics by Michael Kunze and music by Sylvester Levay. It portrays the life and death of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I, from her engagement in 1854 to her murder in 1898. According to the producing company, it has been seen by over 12 million spectators in 14 countries and translated into ten languages, making it the most successful German-language musical ever.
Quick Facts
- Music
- Sylvester Levay
- Lyrics
- Michael Kunze
- Basis
- The life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria
- Productions
- 1992 Vienna; International productions
Facts from the source article.
Synopsis
In the world of the dead, Luigi Lucheni is interrogated by a judge about why he murdered Empress Elisabeth. Lucheni claims he only did what Elisabeth herself wanted, as she has been in love with Death all her life. He brings back the dead aristocracy as witnesses and narrates the events from Sisi's innocent youth to her decline and assassination. As a young girl, Sisi first encounters Death, beginning a lifelong love-hate affair. Elisabeth soon regrets the fairy-tale marriage, feeling abandoned by her husband, abused by her mother-in-law, and depressed. Only the dark shadow of Death keeps her emotionally stimulated, but she refuses to consummate the relationship. She later makes peace with her husband and helps unify Austria and Hungary, but neglects her son Rudolf, who bonds with Death and commits suicide at Mayerling. This breaks Elisabeth, who begs Death to take her, but he now refuses.
Principal characters
Elisabeth, known as Sisi, was Empress of Austria and later Queen of Hungary, born in the Kingdom of Bavaria. Death appears as a character, modeled on the poet Heinrich Heine and rock singer David Bowie. Luigi Lucheni, the Italian anarchist who killed Elisabeth, narrates the story and highlights her flaws. Her husband was Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria and later King of Hungary. Archduchess Sophie, his domineering mother, also features. Their son was Rudolf. Elisabeth’s father, Max, Prince of Bavaria, neglected her yet she idolized him. Her mother, Ludovika, Princess of Bavaria, was socially ambitious. Helene was Elisabeth’s demure elder sister. Other figures include Countess Esterházy, Count Grünne, Cardinal Archbishop Rauscher, Prince Schwarzenberg, and Frau Wolf, a Vienna brothel mistress.
Song list
The song list and order are based on the original Vienna production, with titles in English. Additional songs have been added for some productions, and the order is often switched, most noticeably between the German and Viennese versions. Songs include: Prologue (Prolog) – Judge, Lucheni, Death; Like You (Wie du) – Elisabeth, Max; Lovely to Have You All Here – Ludovika, Hélène, Family; No Coming Without Going (Kein Kommen ohne Geh'n) – Death (often omitted); Black Prince (Schwarzer Prinz) – Elisabeth; To Each He Gives His Own (Jedem gibt er das Seine) – Sophie, Franz-Joseph, the Court; Things Never Happen As Planned – Lucheni, Sophie, Hélène, Elisabeth, Franz-Joseph; Nothing is Difficult Any More – Franz-Joseph, Elisabeth; All Questions Have Been Asked – Wedding Chorus; She Doesn't Fit – Sophie, Max, Wedding Guests; The Last Dance – Death; An Empress Must Shine – Sophie, Countess Esterházy, Ladies-in-Waiting; I Belong to Me – Elisabeth; The First Four Years – Lucheni, Elisabeth, Sophie, Ladies-in-Waiting, Franz-Joseph, the Court, Hungarians; The Shadows Grow Longer (Preview) – Death; The Cheerful Apocalypse – Lucheni, a Student, a Journalist, a Poet, a Bohemian, a Professor, coffeehouse patrons; Child or Not – Sophie, Countess Esterházy, Young Rudolf (introduced in the German premiere); Elisabeth, Open Up My Angel – Franz-Joseph, Elisabeth, Death; Milk – Lucheni, the Poor; Beauty Care – Countess Esterházy, Ladies-in-Waiting; I Just Want to Tell You (I Belong to Me Reprise) – Franz-Joseph, Elisabeth, Death; Kitsch – Lucheni; Éljen – Hungarian Crowds, Lucheni (often omitted); When I Want to Dance – Death, Elisabeth (introduced in the German premiere; often omitted); Mama, Where Are You? – Young Rudolf, Death; Mama, Where Are You? (reprise) – Young Rudolf, Death (Original Dutch production only); She Is Insane – Elisabeth, Frau Windisch.
CD and DVD releases
As of November 2007, at least twenty-five cast and studio albums, demos, and promotional albums/singles, as well as eight commercial DVDs of the show, have been released. Notable releases include the 1992 Vienna original cast recording with Pia Douwes as Elisabeth, Uwe Kröger as Death, and Ethan Freeman as Luigi Lucheni, produced by Jimmy Bowien on Polydor. A 1996 Vienna live recording features Maya Hakvoort, Addo Kruizinga, and Bruno Grassini. The 1999 original Dutch cast album has Pia Douwes, Stanley Burleson, and Wim van den Driessche. The 2001 Essen original German cast album includes Pia Douwes, Uwe Kröger, and Carsten Lepper. The 2004 Vienna revival cast recording stars Maya Hakvoort, Máté Kamarás, and Serkan Kaya. A 2005 Vienna live recording features the same cast plus Fritz Schmid as Rudolf. Japanese live recordings from 2016 and 2023 tours include multiple casts.
More in Cultural Depictions of Franz Joseph I of Austria
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