Description

Gänseliesel op. 170
A fairy tale (50‘)
fue 7245
Edition: performance Material
arranged for chamber orchestra by Barbara Gabler
Libretto: Emilie Riedel
Libretto arrangement: Klaus Schützmannsky
Première: 10.12.1933, Stadttheater Baden-Baden
New production: 04.11.2012, Mehrgenerationenhaus Heilhaus Kassel

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The fairy tale “Gänseliesel” (Goose Girl or Goose Lizzy) contains several motifs that can also be found in the Grimm fairy tales “Hansel and Gretel”, “Little Red Riding Hood” and “The Frog Prince”. The music contains singing solo pieces, duets and trios, as well as a leitmotif recurring miniatures for the characterization of various speaking roles. All music parts are short and in its stylistic diversity fancy and entertaining.

Persons:
Erzählerin (Sprechrolle), Liese, Peter, Echo, Waldfee Herzeleide, Wegweiser, Waldelfe Trostlinde, Waldelfe, Waldtraute, zwei Birkenelfen, Pilzelf, drei Wurzelzwerge, Elfenkönigin (Sprechrolle) Kröte, Feuerunke, Waldschreck (Sprechrolle), Froschkönig (Sprechrolle), Schutzengel, Musikanten
Instruments: Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, 2 Violins, Viola, Double Bass, Piano

Contents
The story of the Gänseliesel, an orphan, starts with the fact that she is looking after a gosling lost in the forest and stumbles over a root – this is the “Irrwurz”. With him, a magical world opens up to her: forest spirits, fairies, good and evil, or funny and cheeky. As Liese realizes that she has sprained her foot, she calls for help. However it answers her only the echo. A talking signpost proclaims that she could waist her breath because at that hour no man can hear her call. However, but encouragingly, he adds, that her head and her feet will heal soon. Shortly thereafter a forest fairy approaches to watch over her and to accompany her. However Liese is discouraged and do not know what to do. The forest fairy gives her the advice to pray, because good is allways nearby – whereever. Liese sings a beautiful prayer.

This night will be a bright moon and the elves want a to celebrate a party on the “Elfenwiese” (elves grassland). A dark shape occurs, the forest fright – she fears him and she prefers to accept the invitation of a mushroom elf who drives up in a car to bring Liese to the Elfenwiese. … As Liese át the end of the ride tries to move her foot, she realizes that he no longer hurts. But she don’t have a suitable dress for the party. She gets one from two birch elves and she is excited because it is so “spinnwebfein”. It will be a wonderful night of dancing … Even the frog king dances with her, observed by two envious toads. When the frog king wants to accompany her home, she realizes with horror that he goes straight to the green covered water pond to suck her down into the depths. Salvation comes from a guardian angel who free her from the clutches of the frog king.
It has become morning and Liese’s friend Peter wakes up from bad dreams. He has the feeling that something had happened to Liese, and he sets out to find her. He finds her in the forest at the magic oak. Considered in daylight the foot is not really ok so he carries her simply piggyback home.