Tatárjárás / Ein Herbstmanöver
Tatárjárás
Libretto by Karl von Bakonyi
Premiere: Vígszínház, Budapest, February 22, 1908
Act I: Baroness Riza has become the mistress of a castle that belonged to her husband, whom she married against her will, but from whom she is now free. Her heart races upon learning that Lt. Lörentey, her former lover and original owner of the castle, is among the Hussars arriving from the countryside to conduct military maneuvers on her estate. The officers arrive, but Lörentey is not among them—he has no interest in revisiting the very castle that once belonged to him and whose current owner he once believed would eventually be his wife. But both the castle and the woman had been seized by a luckier rival. Treszka, the daughter of Lt. Gen. Lohonyay, tries to console Lörentey, whom she loves and relentlessly pursues, much to the chagrin of volunteer soldier Mogyoróssy, who has his own sights set on Treszka. Lörentey stubbornly refuses Riza’s offer of food and drink and a place to sleep.
Act II: Ignoring reports that the enemy (in the maneuvers) is approaching, the soldiers party it up—singing, drinking, and dancing. Lörentey rallies the soldiers, but is detained by Riza, to whom he proudly announces that he loves Treszka and will ask her to be his wife. His jealousy and memories of past humiliation take such strong hold of him that, in his bitterness, he begins drinking and dancing wildly. By the time he comes to his senses, it is too late—his fellow soldiers have left and he is not with them at the command post. Distraught, he angrily throws his sword at Riza’s feet, in full view of the shocked commanding general Lohonyay, who has just arrived.
Act III: The soft-hearted Lohonyay has ascertained from the jealous Mogyoróssy that Lörentey has asked for Treszka’s hand. The general would gladly accept Lörentey as his son-in-law and tries to smoothe over the previous incident. In front of the gathered guests, he intends to announce the engagement of his daughter and the lieutenant. When Treszka finally realizes that Lörentey only proposed to get back at Riza, she announces to all that she is too young for Lörentey and that Riza is the wife for him. Treszka and Marosi confirm their love, and the curtain falls as a smiling Lohonay threatens to reinstate von Lörenthy’s punishment.
Ein Herbstmanöver
Libretto by Robert Bodanzky
Premiere: Theater an der Wien, Vienna, January 22, 1909
German-language revision of Tatárjárás
The Hussar regiment is on maneuvers near the estate of the widowed Baroness Risa. Lieutenant Lörenthy does not join his comrades, for not only did the estate once belong to his family, but he himself was once in love with Risa, who seemingly shunned him for a wealthy husband. Although still enamored of her, Lörenthy seeks revenge by proposing to the Field Marshall’s daughter, Treszka, who is flattered, but too busy fending off the advances of the Cherubino-like, teenaged Lieutenant Marosi. Through a clever ruse, Risa and Treszka trick the Field Marshall into approving the marriage of Risa and Lörenthy, while Treszka and Marosi realize that they too should be together.
