The Gay Hussars is an operetta in three acts by Emmerich Kálmán. The first version, in Hungarian, Tatárjárás, with libretto by Karl von Bakonyi and Andor Gábor, premiered at the Lustspieltheater in Budapest on 22 February 1908. Its New York premiere, as The Gay Hussars, adapted by Maurice Browne Kirby with lyrics by Grant Stewart, was at the Knickerbocker Theatre on 29 July 1909 with W. H. Denny.

Dramatis Personæ

MIDI Files

ACT I   -   Before the Castle of Baroness Risa van Marbach.

• Overture
• No. 1 - Song - Risa and Chorus - "Here is a book which we all love to look at whenever we're given a chance.  Praise it engages for true are its pages..."
• No. 2 - Song - Lorenty - "Love is a traitor, falsehood's creator, born man to grieve;  that she'd deceive me, or ever leave me sighing I'll not believe."
• No. 3 - Chorus - "Clear the way for here they come,  blow the trumpet, beat the druwm,  Yuc-he!  the Gay Hussars! ..."
• No. 4 - Song - Wallerstein - "Let me make a sad confession - I've no use for my profession.  Once I longed for martial glory, now it's quite another story..."
• No. 5 - Incidental Music and Song - Turi - "When my vigil I am keeping, vagrant fancies roaming seem to bring my lovely lady smiling through the gloaming..."
• No. 6 - Duet - Risa and Lorenty - "My heart thou'rt filling with memories thrilling, O silver moon!  All thou hast lost me, and all thou hast cost me, O silver moon! ..."
• No. 7 - Song - Lorenty (Finale Act I) - "Do you not know how deeply once I loved you;  do you not know what once you meant to me?  You filled my heart..."

ACT II   -   The Ballroom of Baroness Risa's Castle.

• No. 8 - Hussar's Quadrille - "Now's the time for dancing and song with mirth and laughter reigning;  the man who thinks it is wrong need not think of remaining..."
• No. 9 - Song - Marosi and Chorus - "Sweet little Kitty once went out upon a summer's day,  she wander'd here and wander'd there and found she'd lost her way..."
• No. 10 - Duet - Marosi and Treszka - "Maiden, would'st thou married be?  Take me quickly, be my wife, treat the others just like brothers, you'll be thankful..."
• No. 11 - Reprise - Risa and Ensemble - "My heart thou'rt filling with memories thrilling, O silver moon!  All thou hast lost me, and all thou hast cost me..."
• No. 12 - Song - Risa and Chorus - "What more entrancing, music and dancing!  Strains so enthralling to the waltz are gaily calling.  Ah! what more exhilarating..."
• No. 13 - Hungarian Dance and Song - Lorenty - "When my vigil I am keeping, vagrant fancies roaming seem to bring my lovely lady smiling through the gloaming..."
• No. 14 - Finale Act II - "All now is sorrow, and with tomorrow no one can tell, can tell what cometh, perhaps dishonour, disgrace forever more, forever more..."

ACT III   -   Gardens of Baroness Risa's Castle.

• No. 15 - Song - Risa - "Sad is my soul and sore distressed, my heart is racked with pain and grief;  the tumult sweet of love confessed can never, never bring..."
• No. 16 - Song - Wallerstein - "I have a dear old friend, and he is very, very fond of me; just as fond as he can be - we would never disagree.  He's not a beauty..."
• No. 17 - Song - Treszka and Ladies - "Mister Adam ate the apple, then he laid the blame on Eve  -  Eve, she got the blame.  Ever since the days of Adam..."
• No. 18 - Finale Act III - "Heissa, make way there, pounce on the prey there, what foe dare stay there?  Heissa, Yuc-he!  Though foes enclose them, none dare..."

External Links

Vocal Score at IMSLP

The Gay Hussars at Wikipedia

American Musical Theatre

Page modified 3 December 2016