Comedy on the Bridge

Operas by Bohuslav Martinů
Comedy on the Bridge (1937) Alexandre bis (1937) Julietta (1938) What Men Live By (1953) The Marriage (1953) Mirandolina (1959) Ariane (1961) The Greek Passion (1961)
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Comedy on the Bridge (Veselohra na mostě in Czech) is an opera in one act by Bohuslav Martinů to a Czech libretto by the composer, based on the comedy by Václav Kliment Klicpera.

Performance history

The first performance occurred over Czech Radio, Prague on 18 March 1937. The first staged performance was at Hunter College, New York City on 28 May 1951, which the composer attended^[1] and which received an award for "best new opera" from the New York Music Critics Circle^[2]. Martinů arranged three numbers from the opera into a "Little Suite" for chamber orchestra, including piano.^{[3] [4]}

Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, 18 March 1937 (Conductor: )
Popelka, the village beauty	soprano
Sykos, a fisherman, Josephine's fiancé	baritone
Bedron, a brewer	bass
Eva, Bedron's wife	contralto
Schoolmaster	tenor
Friendly sentry	spoken
Enemy sentry	spoken
Friendly officer	spoken

Synopsis

The setting is on a bridge over a river, during the first half of the 19th century. The river separates two opposing armies during an unspecified conflict. Josephine Popelka has earlier been to the battlefield and buried her brother. On her return, the enemy sentry lets her pass, but holds her papers from his commanding officer. Without the proper papers, the sentry on her own side denies her request to pass, and Josephine must remain on the bridge.

In parallel, Bedron, the village brewer, is allowed on to the bridge from his own side, but is prevented from crossing over at the other side. With Josephine and Bedron detained on the bridge, Bedron casually makes a pass at Josephine. Josephine's fiancé Johnny then appears, and accuses her of being unfaithful. Eva, Bedron's wife, in turn arrives and she joins the argument.

The schoolmaster then joins the scene, trying to solve a riddle that he heard from Colonel Ladinsky, an officer on his own side: 'a deer is in a field, surrounded by a wall too high and steep to jump or climb. How does the deer escape?' The riddle parallels the characters' situation. Then, offstage, battle sounds are heard. The two couples settle their differences peacably. Then they hear news of battlefield victory, on their side. Colonel Ladinsky then appears and tells Josephine her brother is alive; it turns out that she buried another deceased soldier. The colonel also reveals the answer to the riddle: the deer does not escape. Everyone laughes and celebrates the victory.

Recording

• Supraphon: Jarmila Krátká, René Tuček; Brno Janáček Opera Orchestra; František Jílek, conductor

References

1. ^ "New Limelight at 60". Time, 11 June 1951.
2. ^ "The Year's Best". Time, 21 January 1952.
3. ^ "Little Suite. From the Opera, Comedy on the Bridge". Music & Letters, 34(1), 80-81 (1953).
4. ^ Paul A. Pisk, Review of published score of "Little Suite from the Opera Comedy on the Bridge", Notes (2nd ser.), 11(1), 148 (1953).

External links

• Boosey & Hawkes page on Comedy on the Bridge