SYNOPSIS

The scene is set in Vienna in the early years of the reign of Empress Maria Theresia.

CD 1

[1] Introduktion

Act One

The bedroom of the Feldmarschallin Princess von Werdenberg. [2] In the absence of her husband, the Marschallin has spent the night with her present lover, the seventeen-year-old Count Octavian Rofrano. [3] Soon after the Marschallin’s black page boy has brought in breakfast, the couple are startled by an unexpected visitor. [4] The Princess thinks it is her husband come back, and tells Octavian to hide himself behind the bed hangings. There he disguises himself as a chambermaid.
[5] The guest turns out in fact to be Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau, the Marschallin’s cousin. He has arrived from his country estate to ask the Princess to recommend an envoy who, in accordance with the traditional ceremony of betrothal, will take the silver rose to his wife-to-be. Quite unabashed, the Baron admits that he is entering into marriage with the daughter of the newly rich Herr von Faninal for financial reasons alone. [6] Nor does he intend to let marriage stand in the way of his numerous affairs. [7] The Marschallin suggests that Count Octavian be the Knight of the Rose, and she shows the Baron his portrait. Ochs remarks on the similarity between the latter and the pretty chambermaid “Mariandel” (the disguised Octavian) to whom he has taken a fancy. In roguish humour the Princess hints that the maid is Octavian’s illegitimate sister.
[8] “Mariandel” manages to slip away from the Baron when the various characters assembled outside are let into the room for the levée. The Marschallin presents gifts to three orphans of noble birth. The intriguers VaIzacchi and Annina offer the Princess a copy of their scandal sheet (which she refuses), [9] then an Italian singer performs an aria. [10] Whilst the Marschallin’s coiffure is being attended to, Ochs argues with the notary over a clause in the marriage contract, becoming so vociferous in his anger that he interrupts the singer. [11] The Marschallin dismisses everyone and promises the Baron that she will send the silver rose to Count Octavian.
[12] Left alone, the Princess first vents her anger at the vain Baron and his shameless plan to get married for money, then she becomes wistful and remembers the time when, as a young girl, she was “ordered, fresh from the convent, into holy wedlock” and contemplates the inevitability of growing old.
[13]-[14] Having rid himself of his disguise, Octavian returns as an official visitor, only to find that his unbridled passion is dampened by the Marschallin’s melancholy thoughts on the passing of time. To his horror, she predicts that Octavian “today, or tomorrow or the day after that” will leave her for a younger, more attractive woman.

CD 2

[1] At the Marschallin’s request he leaves, feeling wounded. [2] Realising that she did not even kiss him goodbye, the Princess immediately sends her servants after him. But they are too late; he has already ridden off. She gives the silver rose to her black page boy, bidding him take it to the Count.

Act Two

[3]-[4] In the house of the wealthy parvenu Herr von Faninal, the young Sophie awaits the arrival of her future husband in joyful but naive expectation. [5] Accompanied by her duenna Marianne, she receives Octavian, who gives her the silver rose on behalf of the Baron. [6] The Count is smitten by the charms of the young Sophie and she is attracted to him.
[7]-[8] Faninal enters with Baron Ochs. Sophie is horrified at the uncouth behaviour and rude words of her husband-to-be. [9] When Ochs’s lackeys start a brawl in another part of the house, Marianne rushes out to restore peace, leaving the young couple alone. Sophie admits that she has no desire to marry the Baron, and asks Octavian to help her. United in their stance against Ochs, they are drawn to one another and embrace.
[10] Suddenly VaIzacchi and Annina rush in. They are now in the service of the Baron and call him in from the room next door so that he can surprise Sophie in a compromising situation. Ochs puts on a tolerant face and merely ignores Octavian when the latter explains that Sophie does not want the marriage to go ahead. The young Count draws his rapier and provokes the Baron, who calls on his lackeys for help. A scuffle ensues, during the course of which the Baron is slightly wounded. [11] Faninal storms in, orders Octavian out of the house and is horrified to learn from his daughter that she does not mean to marry the Baron. But he insists on this marriage that will be so socially advantageous for his family, dismisses Sophie [14] and attempts to calm the Baron.
[15] Left alone, Ochs bemoans the troubles the town brings, [16] but he quickly cheers up when Annina appears with a note from “Mariandel” asking him for a rendez-vous the next evening.

CD 3

Act Three

[1] A private room in an inn near Vienna. Octavian has won over VaIzacchi and Annina and has devised a plot to compromise Ochs in front of his future father-in-law. [2]-[3] Disguised as “Mariandel”, he receives the Baron, acting the country innocent. But when the latter becomes too bold in his advances, an elaborate practical joke begins to unfold — at a sign given by “Mariandel”, mysterious faces appear through trap doors and hidden windows, [4] then Annina rushes in with four children in tow and declares herself to be the Baron’s abandoned wife. The bewildered Ochs flings open a window and calls for the police.
[6] A commissioner duly arrives and quickly restores order, but then begins to question the Baron about his seduction of “Mariandel”, who is now sobbing to herself. Ochs says that the girl is his fiancée Sophie. [7] An alarmed Faninal arrives, furiously denies that the girl is who Ochs says she is, and sends for the real Sophie. Mortified at the Baron’s scandalous behaviour, Faninal collapses and is taken to an adjoining room to recover.
[8] The police commissioner is pursuing his enquiries when, [9] to everyone’s surprise, the Marschallin suddenly appears. [10] She dismisses the commissioner and reveals the true identity of “Mariandel” to Ochs. [11] When he realises that the marriage will not take place after all, he storms off, followed by a string of waiters, musicians and coachmen all demanding to be paid.
[12]-[13] The Marschallin stays behind with Sophie, and Octavian stands between the two women, quite at a loss. The Princess has realised that her young lover has lost his heart to the girl and in calm capitulation decides to renounce her hold on him. To placate the enraged Faninal she decides to take him and Sophie back home in her coach. [14] Whilst she is fetching him, the two lovers fall into each others’ arms, blissfully happy. Sophie drops a handkerchief, and after everyone has left the inn, the Marschallin’s black page boy appears. He looks for the handkerchief, picks it up and trips out again.

Gerd Uekermann
Translation: Chris Wood