Das Land des Lächelns

DAS LAND DES LÄCHELNS is an operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár and belongs to the masterpieces of the Silver Operetta Era. It is one of the most successful works of the composer after DIE LUSTIGE WITWE . The piece was premiered in Berlin in October 1929 and is a new version of DIE GELBE JACKE, which had already had its premiere in February 1923. By the end of 1930, the play had already made it to almost 200 productions in European theaters and is still popular today. The first film version of the operetta was made in 1930 under the direction of Max Reichmann and was the first international success of the German sound film.

Franz Lehár repeatedly tried to make his less successful works successful by reworking and renaming them - only with DAS LAND DES LÄCHELNS did he succeed in doing so successfully and permanently.

In Lehár's last creative phase from 1925, in which this piece falls, the composer's operettas took on operatic features: more dramatic music and plots as well as the renunciation of a happy ending.

The count's daughter Lisa von Lichtenfels, one of the most sought-after marriage candidates in Vienna, does not want to bow to social conventions and thus also rejects the marriage proposal of her friend Gustav von Pottenstein, Gustl. At a party in her father's house, she falls in love with the Chinese prince Sou-Chong, who also reciprocates her feelings. When Sou-Chong is appointed prime minister of his country and has to return to Beijing immediately, Lisa decides - against her father's warnings - to marry Sou-Chong and follow him to faraway China.

Contrary to her initial optimism of becoming at home in China, Lisa feels increasingly strange and uncomfortable in the Chinese palace. Sou-Chong has to bow to the demands of his morally strict uncle Tschang and marry four Manchu girls in addition to Lisa. Gustl, who has been transferred to China in the meantime out of concern for his girlfriend, meets Princess Mi, the prince's sister, who is herself struggling with China's strict customs and sees in Gustl an opportunity to escape her golden cage. Gustl meets Lisa and she learns of the prince's marriage plans, whereupon she confronts him. Despite his assurances that it is merely a formal ceremony, a rift ensues and Lisa wants to leave the palace. The prince forbids this, however, and has her guarded around the clock from then on.

Lisa, who now has to live with the prince's new wives in the women's wing under the supervision of the head eunuch, can hardly bear the longing for home and the humiliation. With Princess Mis' help, Gustl breaks into the women's chambers to help Lisa escape to her homeland. While trying to escape, however, the two encounter Sou-Chong. Lisa begs for mercy and the prince realizes that he cannot hold her. He lets her go and remains behind with a sad smile.