Arabella

Operas by Richard Strauss
Guntram (1894) Feuersnot (1901) Salome (1905) Elektra (1909) Der Rosenkavalier (1911) Ariadne auf Naxos (1912) Die Frau ohne Schatten (1918) Intermezzo (1923) Die ägyptische Helena (1927) Arabella (1932) Die schweigsame Frau (1934) Friedenstag (1938) Daphne (1938) Die Liebe der Danae (1940) Capriccio (1942)

Arabella is a lyric comedy or opera in 3 acts by Richard Strauss to a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, their sixth and last collaboration. It was first performed on July 1, 1933, at the Dresden Sächsisches Staatstheater.

Roles

Synopsis

Act I: In a hotel in Vienna

Countess Adelaide has her fortune told. As a result of the Count's gambling addiction, the Waldner family will be ruined unless their daughter Arabella marries a rich man. The Countess thinks that is Count Elemer, a suitor Arabella already rejected long ago. As the Waldners can hardly afford two daughters marrying, they dress Arabella's younger sister Zdenka as a boy, whom they present as "Zdenko." The fortune-teller goes on to predict that things could turn out badly if the Waldners have another daughter, further reducing Zdenka's hopes of a happy love affair. Zdenka is actually in love with Matteo, a penniless officer who loves Arabella. To prevent him from committing suicide, Zdenka writes him love letters she signs with Arabella's name. Meanwhile, Arabella is wooed by three suitors: Elemer, Dominik and Lamoral, but she has fallen in love at first sight with a stranger she has barely passed in the street. Count Waldner, in dire straits, has written all his friends for financial help, to no avail. Waldner was hopeful for an answer from an old Croatian, whom he had even sent a portrait of Arabella, proposing marriage. The Croatian's nephew Mandryka turns up. His uncle is dead and, as his heir, the letter and portrait have passed down to him. He offers to marry Arabella and gives Waldner money, so Count Waldner organizes a ball to have them meet each other. Also, Matteo asks "Zdenko," his supposedly male friend, when will he receive another letter from Arabella, and "Zdenko" answers that he will have one that very evening at the ball.

Act II: In a ballroom

Arabella meets Lord Mandryka, who turns out to be her fascinating stranger. Mandryka tells her about his life and his country's customs, in which young women offer their fiancés a glass of water as a token of agreeing to be married. After a long time of Mandryka persuading Arabella that she will be mistress of all the things he owns, and that she will be the only thing that will be ranked above him besides the Emperor himself, Arabella finally agrees to marry him. Afterwards, Zdenka gives Matteo a letter with the key to the room next to Arabella's, saying that it is Arabella's room and promising that Arabella will meet him there that night. Mandryka overhears this conversation and, mad with jealousy and disappointment (although he at first tried to evade these feelings), raises a commotion, flirting with the Fiakermilli, the ball's mascot. The Waldners insist that he meet Arabella to talk things out, and they intend to go to the hotel, where Arabella already went without knowing that Matteo was there also.

Act III: A lobby in the hotel

Arabella comes across Matteo. As Arabella is in love with Mandryka and Matteo is in love with Arabella and thinks he is having a private meeting with her, their conversation is at once confused and emotional. The Count and Countess and Mandryka arrive at this moment, helping further the misunderstanding. After Mandryka accuses Arabella of infidelity and plans to go back to his land, Zdenka arrives, undressed (meaning that it was she who slept with Matteo), declaring her intention to drown herself for such a disgrace. The situation is finally cleared up. Matteo learns that the letters were forged by Zdenka and that it was her and not Arabella in the room. Surprisingly, he suddenly realizes that he is in love with Zdenka whom he agrees to marry. Mandryka is left to ruminate on his indecorous and boorish behaviour, thinking it has lost him Arabella as his wife. Arabella asks a servant for a glass of water, and Mandryka thinks she will offer it as a sign of apology and marriage. However, Arabella goes upstairs and Mandryka, grieving himself, stays downstairs. Afterwards, Arabella comes down the stairs and, seeing that he has stayed and having pardoned him, offers him the glass of water, signifying reconciliation. They happily kiss and Arabella goes to sleep.

Sources

• The Oxford Dictionary of Opera, by John Warrack and Ewan West (1992), 782 pages, ISBN 0-19-869164-5

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