East Kilbride Light Opera Club - The Student Prince

The Student Prince - 1964

Index

History

The Student Prince - Synopsis

cover of programme

The curtain rises on an ante-chamber in the Royal Palace at Karlsberg. The young Prince Karl Franz, grandson of the King and Heir to the Throne, has just passed his examinations for entrance to the University of Heidelberg. His tutor and friend, Dr. Engel, himself an old Heidelberg student, has been appointed a Privy Councillor and deputed by the Prime Minister, Von Mark, to accompany the Prince to Heidelberg.

We are now transported to the Gardens at the Inn of the "Three Golden Apples" in the University Town of Heidelberg. It is May Day and the beginning of a new term. Ruder the Innkeeper, his niece Kathie, and Gretchen — a maid at the Inn — are in high spirits as they make preparations tor the arrival of the new student — Prince Karl Franz Lutz, pompous valet to the Prince, and his assistant Hubert try to persuade the Prince not to reside at the Inn, but without success. Kathie and the Prince meet and fall in love at first sight.

Four months have passed when next we find the Prince and his student friends returning from an all-night party. They are suddenly disturbed by the arrival of the Grand Duchess and her daughter. Princess Margaret, cousin of the Prince, and to whom he is betrothed. When they depart, the Prince, realising that he is about to be rushed into a "marriage of convenience" with Margaret, tells Kathie of his love and begs her to go away with him to Paris where they can be married. While Kathie is happily preparing for her journey, Von Mark arrives to tell the Prince that the King is seriously ill and commands Karl Franz to return to Karlsberg immediately. Dr. Engel persuades him that it is his duty to do so. The Prince departs, promising Kathie that he will soon return to her.

Two years have passed, the Old King has died, and Prince Karl Franz is now King. A Court Ball is in progress at which his betrothal to Princess Margaret is to be announced. During the evening Captain Tarnitz tries to persuade the Princess to marry him and learns from her that she is very much in love with Karl. Tarnitz tells the Princess that Karl is in love with Kathie. A message is brought to the King that Toni, the old waiter at the Inn, has arrived from Heidelberg and seeks an audience. Toni tells the King of the happenings at. Heidelberg over the past two years, of how Dr. Engel has died, and reminds him of his promise to come back to Heidelberg and Kathie.

We are back at the Inn of the Three Golden Apples. Princess Margaret arrives alone and tells Kathie of her great love for the King and of her desire to make him happy. Slie pleads with Kathie to leave Heidelberg and to put all thoughts of Karl out of her mind. The King arrives and Kathie, though broken-hearted, does as the Princess has asked, knowing that the love of a serving girl for a Prince could end no other way, and wishing only for the happiness of her beloved Student Prince.

The Student Prince - 1964
by arrangement with Pladio Ltd

Production Team
Producer - Jack Tait
Musical Director - Maxwell Griffin L.R.A.M.
Dancing Mistress - Gillean Dickson

Characters in order of appearance
Von Mark (Prime Minister) - David Miller
Dr. Engel (The Prince's Tutor) - Robert A. Johnston
Prince Karl Franz - Ernest Dodds
Ruder (The Innkeeper) - Rennie Campbell
Gretchen - Doris Weymss
Toni (A Waiter) - James Kane
Lutz (Valet to the Prince) - Leonard Osborne
Hubert (The Valet's Valet) - Angus Henderson
Detleff - Ian Allan
Lucas - David Hughes
Von Asterberg - Alex Walker
Kathie - Nan Tait
Grand Duchess Anastasia - Beryl Morris
Princess Margaret - Olivia Rae
Captain Tarnitz - Adam Smith
1st Lackey - Tom Kelly
2nd Lackey - Matthew Lang
3rd Lackey - James Caullay
4th Lackey - Robert McCrae
Countess Leydon - Elizabeth Rennie
Baron Arnheim - Jack Martin

Ladies of the Chorus
Teresa Boland, Ann Daly, Francis Doyle, Isa Hornal, Hazel Gunn, Sheila Henderson, Betty McKay, Anne McSherrie, Marjorie Miller, Betty Newlands, Elizabeth Rennie, Jeanette Semple, Doris Strang, Ann Struthers.

Dancers
Sheila Brown, Mary Brownlie, Jeanette Burns, Susan Burns, Margaret Hay, Isobel Hind, Janice Jones, Barbara McElroy, Molly Scott, Elizabeth Struthers, Allison Wallace, Ann Wallace.

Gentlemen of the Chorus
Roy Butterworth, Norman Carroll, James Caullay, Alistair Currie, James Dunsmuir, John Hackett, James Jenkins, Leonard Johnson, Tom Kelly, James Kerr, Mathew Lang, Jack Martin, Robert McDermott, Robert McCrae, Adam Smith, John Strang, William Struthers, William Toner, David Waters.

Performance Details
2nd March - 7th March 1964
Duncanrig Secondary School,
East Kilbride

Synopsis of Scenes
Act I - Garden of the Inn of the "Three Golden Apples" at the University of Heidelberg.
Act II - The Prince's Room at the Inn (Four months later).
Act III - The Ballroom of the Royal Palace at Karlsberg (Two years later).
Act IV - Same as Act 1 (Garden of the Inn) (Next day).

Musical Synopsis
Overture
Prologue
"Golden Days" - Prince and Engel

Act I
"Garlands Bright with Glowing Flowers" - Ruder, Gretchen and Girls
"To the Inn We're Marching" - Detleff, Von Asterberg, Lucas and Students
"Drinking Song " - Detleff and Students
"Come Boys, Let's All Be Gay Boys" - Kathie and Students
Heidelberg, Beloved Vision" - Prince and Engel
"In Heidelberg Fair" - Kathie and Girls
"Gaudeamus" - Students
Reprise of "Golden Days" - Engel
"Deep in My Heart" - Kathie and Prince
"Come, Sir, Will You Join?" - Ensemble
"Serenade" - Prince, Detleff, Von AsterbergLucas, Students and Girls
Reprise of "Come Boys, Let's All Be Gay Boys" - Ensemble

Act II
"Farmer Jacob Lay A-Snoring" - Students
"Student Life" - Kathie, Gretehen, Prince, Engel and Students
"Thoughts Will Come to Me" - Prince, Engel and Kathie

Act III
"By Our Bearing so Sedate" - Lackeys
Ballet - Dancers
"Just We Two " - Princess, Tarnitz and Ensemble
"The Flag that Flies Above Us" - Ensemble
"What Memories Sweet Rose" - Prince, Engel, Kathie and Students

Act IV
Let Us Sing a Song" - Girls and Students
Reprise of "Serenade" - Prince, Detleff and Ensemble
Reprise of " Deep in My Heart" - Kathie, Prince and Ensemble

Stage Manager - Ken Denton
Hon. Accompanists - Fiona Stewart, A.R.C.M., A.A. King.
Lighting - David Roberts
Property Master - Jack McElroy
Wardrobe Mistress - Evelyn Stuart
Leader of Orchestra - Bert Dudman
Prompter - Irene Roberts
Make-up - Jean Waters