Staged at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna; (World Premiere) September 3rd, 1992 to April 25th, 1998 (with short breaks during summer). Producers: Vereinigte Bühnen Wien (United Stages of Vienna)
Dutch Premiere: November 21st, 1999 (until June 2001) at the Fortis Circustheater in Scheveningen (near Den Haag). Directed by Eddy Habbema; Produced by Joop van den Ende
German Premiere: March 22nd, 2001 (open end) at the Colosseum Theatre Essen, Germany. Directed by Eddy Habbema; Produced by Joop van den Ende
NOTE: This features the Original English Plot-Synopsis of the Souvenir Programme of the Production in Vienna. Both plot and musical numbers refer to the Original Production; For later productions (also Dutch and German Production), the order of the songs may be changed, new songs might be added and songs (both score and lyrics) may be rewritten.
Elisabeth, Empress of Austria, was born in 1837 and died in 1898. Her assassination by the Italian anarchist Luigi Lucheni was a crime heavy with symbolism, auguring the end of a cultural millennium.
Prologue (Prolog – Alle tanzten mit dem Tod)
Even a hundred years after the deed, a JUDGE cross-examines the assassin LUCHENI who justifies his crime by stating that he had only obliged Elisabeth. He contends that she had been in love with Death. To prove his point, LUCHENI calls up Elisabeth’s dead contemporaries and brings to life again the lost world of the Habsburg Empire.
Suddenly DEATH is among them, an attractive, young man. He admits having been in love with Elisabeth. LUCHENI launches into his tale: a love story between the Empress and Death.
Act One
Scene One (Wie du)
Elisabeth, Max, Gouverness DUKE MAX OF BAVARIA, Elisabeth’s father, is about to travel to Munich. Fifteen-year-old ELISABETH wants to escape together with him from the boring family reunion but the GOVERNESS reminds her of her duties as a princess. |  |
Scene Two (Schön, euch alle zu sehn)
A social gathering hosted by Elisabeth's mother LUDOVIKA. The impending betrothal of Elisabeth's sister HELENE to the Austrian Emperor is announced.
ELISABETH the tomboy shocks the high society with a circus act in the course of which she falls and, for the first time, comes face to face with DEATH.
Scene Three (Jedem gibt er das Seine)
Lucheni, Sophie, Franz-Joseph, Court Camarilla, Mother of the condemned, Ensemble The Imperial Court in Vienna where young Emperor FRANZ-JOSEPH reigns – counseled and controlled by his mother, Archduchess SOPHIE. |
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Scene Four (So wie man denkt...)
August 1853. It is SOPHIE's wish that FRANZ-JOSEPH marries his cousin HELENE. However, when they meet at Bad Ischl to celebrate their engagement he falls in love with Helene’s sister, ELISABETH.
Scene Five (Nichts ist schwer)
March 13th, 1854. The two lovers are alone for the first time. FRANZ-JOSEPH warns his fiancée of the burden of his post, but she is blinded by love. But she hasn't got a choice anyway.
Scene 6 (Alle Fragen sind gestellt)
The wedding. LUCHENI depicts it as the beginning of the end of the Habsburg Empire. DEATH himself rings the wedding bell.
Scene Seven (Der letzte Tanz)
Death / Ensemble In the midst of the ballyhoo, commented upon by the ARISTROCRACY and the ONLOOKERS (who are waiting for the consummation of the marriage), DEATH appears and presents himself as Franz-Joseph's rival. |  |
Scene Eight (Eine Kaiserin muss glänzen, Ich gehör nur mir)
At the Court in Vienna, the young Empress encounters a world hostile to her nature. Her ladies in waiting are instructed to break her personality and to keep her in her golden cage. Her mother-in-law subjects her to the rigours of the Spanish court etiquette. FRANZ-JOSEPH does not provide the moral support she had hoped for.
Scene Nine (Die Schatten werden länger)
ELISABETH feels abandoned. Her melancholy turns into hatred when her mother-in-law takes away her new-born children. Sensing the opportunity time, DEATH enters the scene again to claim the life of one of ELISABETH'S children.
Scene Ten (Die fröhliche Apokalypse)
Lucheni / Ensemble The following years are filled with unpleasant events and visitations. This is not by coincidence, LUCHENI maintains, and puts the blame on DEATH. The Emperor goes to war, while in the coffee house people sit idle and wait for the end of the world to come. |  |
Scene Eleven (Elisabeth, mach auf / Elisabeth, sei nicht verzweifelt)
Franz-Joseph, Elisabeth, Death Elisabeth realizes that she is not powerless. She confronts Franz Joseph with an ultimatum: she insists on being in charge for her children’s education. In this way she decides he power struggle with her mother-in-law in her favour. She refuses to be dependent on anyone, even Death. |  |
Scene Twelve (Milch)
The supply of milk has run out – Lucheni further excites the ugly mood of the people, who are already calling for a revolution, by alleging that "she", i.e., Elisabeth, is using up all the milk for her beauty baths.
Scene Thirteen (Uns’re Kaiserin soll sich wiegen, Ich will dir nur sagen / Ich gehör nur mir Reprise
Elisabeth does actually pamper her beauty in the luxurious fashion. The Emperor loves her, and accepts the ultimatum.
Act Two
Scene One (Kitsch!)
Elisabeth's greatest triumph is the reconciliation of the Emperor with the Hungarians. Amidst general rejoicing Lucheni states that Elisabeth, by supporting Hungary’s struggle for independence, has confirmed the fall of the Habsburg Empire. The new era will belong to nationalism. Death drives up in his carriage.
Scene Two (Mama, wo bist du)
Rudolf as a child, Death Elisabeth is leading a very self-centered life. Thereby she neglects RUDOLF, her hyper-sensitive son. DEATH takes this opportunity to offer his friendship to RUDOLF. |  |
Scene Three (Nichts, nichts, gar nichts)
Elisabeth / Miss Windisch / Ensemble ELISABETH pays a surprise visit to the patients of a madhouse. There ensues an eclat with a woman who is convinced she herself is the Empress. |  |
Scene Four (Wir oder sie)
Elisabeth's mother-in-law Sophie and the court Camarilla, divested of its previous influence, debate how Elisabeth's hold on the Emperor could be broken. They decide to try and make him deviate from his faithfulness.
Scene Five (Nur kein Genieren)
Mrs Wolf / Lucheni / Ensemble At MRS. WOLF's salon, the most fashionable brothel in town, the former Adjutant of the Emperor turns up to select a girl for his master. LUCHENI alleges that the girl he picks is infected with a venereal disease... |  |
Scene Six (Die letzte Chance)
DEATH reveals to ELISABETH that her husband has infected her with the "certain malady". Elisabeth is shocked but not at all prepared to give in to DEATH. On the contrary, she considers this mishap to be her chance to finally enforce her freedom from all obligations.
Scene Seven (Nie kommt sie zur Ruhe, Jagd)
ELISABETH travels with her Retinue through Europe, interrupting her journeys only with a few short stays in Vienna. Her husband, tormented by longing and remorse, waits for her in vain. LUCHENI suspects that ELISABETH is also trying to run away from getting older.
Scene Eight (Die Schatten werden länger)
Rudolf / Death DEATH keeps RUDOLF company. He persuades Rudolf to oppose his father, waking dangerous thoughts in him... |  |
Scene Nine (Wie du – reprise)
By spiritualistic means ELISABETH tries to establish contact with the deceased. Her FATHER appears to her. It comes as a revelation to her that she will never be free.
Scene Ten (Hass)
It is the dawn of a new era dominated by the Teutomania of the anti-Semitic group flocking around Schönerer. In a public demonstration the voice of fascism is already heard.
Scene Eleven (Wenn ich dein Spiegel wär)
Rudolf, Elisabeth RUDOLF, hopelessly outmanoeuvred and in despair, comes to see his mother. He pleads her help in intervening with the Emperor. but ELISABETH rejects his appeal. She has not liberated herself only to become a petitioner again. |  |
Scene Twelve (Mayerlingwalzer, Totenklage)
DEATH waits for RUDOLF at Mayerling. Rudolf’s suicide shakes ELISABETH’s self-confidence, shattering her to the core. Her death-wish becomes overpowering. But now DEATH rejects her.
Scene Thirteen (Mein neues Sortiment, Boote in der Nacht)
FRANZ-JOSEPH tries once more to dissuade ELISABETH from her restless way of life. The couple resigns itself to the fact that love cannot heal all wounds.
Only after a further restless decade has passed DEATH takes pity on the Empress. The final dance begins.
Scene Fourteen (Alle Fragen sind gestellt)
In a nightmare showing him the fall of the House of Habsburg, FRANZ-JOSEPH is confronted by his invincible rival. The confrontation conjures up terrifying visions of the doom of the Imperial House. FRANZ-JOSEPH tries to save ELISABETH but DEATH is faster. He throws the murder weapon towards LUCHENI.
Epilogue (Der Schleier fällt)
Lucheni, Voice of the Judge, Death, Elisabeth, Ensemble As in the beginning, one can hear the voice of the Judge. The cross-examination goes on. Lucheni's portrayal of Elisabeth's life culminates in his description of his attempt on her life. On the lakeside promenade of Lake Geneva, Elisabeth's struggle and yearning climax in the passionate embrace of Death. |  |