Page 382 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2021. Opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama ▪︎ Operetta between the Two World Wars. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 5
P. 382
opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama
time of human maturity, at a time when a person wants to climb as
high as possible. That’s how it was with the young Radovan Gobec.
At a time when he had already reached his first peak as a man and
a creator, at the time when he felt the first strength in himself, at
the same time, his life was regulated by his own taste, with all the
abundance of work [...] he created one of the works that made him
immortal because of his Sloveneness.21
The text of the operetta, written by Radovan Gobec himself, is con-
cerned with the lives of the villagers, and is played without cloying senti-
ment, but with plenty of humour. It portrays idyllic life in the midst of the
unspoiled nature of the Slovenian highlands. It is full of twists and turns,
confused and confusing situations, but never becomes really serious. What
is not part of the operetta is deep social satire, even if there are human frail-
ties and petty jealousies. The plot centres around the figure of Katja as Sivec
continues, quoting from a diploma thesis by Alenka Lavriša:
The lodger of the mountain hut Katja eats nicely and everyone
wants to see her. It’s mysterious. She chases hearts and hangs them
on the wall. The local people know that she was already a film ac
tress and a singer. Once upon a time, four members of the theatre go
up and when they sing about Katja’s song; the conductor Dobrovik
has a thought and begins to write an operetta. At Gabernik’s sighs,
the text is drawn up. In the evening they go under Katja’s window
and sing: ‘The mountain flower, you are love.’
The second act takes place at Gabernik’s. His wife is jealous and
asks for a new maid. At the same time they receive a message that
Katja Silvan will be in the new operetta. When Katja appears, they
call a maid who is being held to prevent them from causing a scan
dal. When a chorus of mountaineers and hikers come across the
water, they find Katja - the much anticipated singer Katja Silvana
- in the well. Following this is the finale [of act 3] that ends with the
song of the Planinska roža.22
Musically the operetta is fluent and straightforward in its style and
layout, with solos, solo ensembles, chorus parts and instrumental numbers
to accompany the dances. The most obvious feature is the use of a ‘mot-
to theme’, introduced at the beginning of the prelude. This consists of two
21 Ibid., 39.
22 Ibid., 41.
380
time of human maturity, at a time when a person wants to climb as
high as possible. That’s how it was with the young Radovan Gobec.
At a time when he had already reached his first peak as a man and
a creator, at the time when he felt the first strength in himself, at
the same time, his life was regulated by his own taste, with all the
abundance of work [...] he created one of the works that made him
immortal because of his Sloveneness.21
The text of the operetta, written by Radovan Gobec himself, is con-
cerned with the lives of the villagers, and is played without cloying senti-
ment, but with plenty of humour. It portrays idyllic life in the midst of the
unspoiled nature of the Slovenian highlands. It is full of twists and turns,
confused and confusing situations, but never becomes really serious. What
is not part of the operetta is deep social satire, even if there are human frail-
ties and petty jealousies. The plot centres around the figure of Katja as Sivec
continues, quoting from a diploma thesis by Alenka Lavriša:
The lodger of the mountain hut Katja eats nicely and everyone
wants to see her. It’s mysterious. She chases hearts and hangs them
on the wall. The local people know that she was already a film ac
tress and a singer. Once upon a time, four members of the theatre go
up and when they sing about Katja’s song; the conductor Dobrovik
has a thought and begins to write an operetta. At Gabernik’s sighs,
the text is drawn up. In the evening they go under Katja’s window
and sing: ‘The mountain flower, you are love.’
The second act takes place at Gabernik’s. His wife is jealous and
asks for a new maid. At the same time they receive a message that
Katja Silvan will be in the new operetta. When Katja appears, they
call a maid who is being held to prevent them from causing a scan
dal. When a chorus of mountaineers and hikers come across the
water, they find Katja - the much anticipated singer Katja Silvana
- in the well. Following this is the finale [of act 3] that ends with the
song of the Planinska roža.22
Musically the operetta is fluent and straightforward in its style and
layout, with solos, solo ensembles, chorus parts and instrumental numbers
to accompany the dances. The most obvious feature is the use of a ‘mot-
to theme’, introduced at the beginning of the prelude. This consists of two
21 Ibid., 39.
22 Ibid., 41.
380
