Polská krev
About operetta Polish Blood is undoubtedly the best known and best Czech operetta. Leo Stein wrote the libretto based on Pushkin's short story "Miss Selka" and Oskar Nedbal composed the music.
Polská krev
About the operetta
Polish Blood is undoubtedly the best known and best Czech operetta. Leo Stein wrote the libretto based on Pushkin's short story "Miss Selka", and Oskar Nedbal composed the music.
Polish Blood has undergone a number of adaptations since its highly successful premiere in Vienna in 1913. In order to be as faithful as possible to the original version, we have commissioned from the Doblinger Agency in Vienna (the original publishers) the original libretto and piano lift on which we have based our new production.
We have, however, undertaken some cosmetic changes. Classical operettas used to have three acts and were performed over two intermissions. This is unpopular nowadays, and so we usually take an intermission after the first act, making the second act disproportionately longer. We have therefore decided to extend the first act by adding another setting, so that the audience will hear the famous hits "Twenty-One" and "Brothers, I am in Love" before the interval. The second act begins with Helen's arrival at Bol's country estate.
In order to give more space to tried-and-true and popular performers, we have extended the role of Bol's servant Wlastek (Jan Ježek), and have 'borrowed' two famous songs for him from other Oskar Nedbal operettas - from The Vintage and Beautiful Saskia.
The popular 'hits' of this operetta are known not only to lovers of operetta, but also to the general public. "The Diplomat", "You're a Cavalier, I Know That", "Blondes Tender" and all the beautiful songs of this witty operetta can be enjoyed on the stage of the Karlín Music Theatre.
Premieres on 17 and 18 September 2009
