GIUDITTA
Music by Franz Lehár
Musical play in five acts by Paul Knepler and Fritz Löhner
English version by Adam Carstairs
First production: Vienna Staatsoper on January 20, 1934

Scene I – A marketplace of a Mediterranean port, the street musicians are having their fun with the fruit seller Pierrino. He has decided to sell his stock and donkey and emigrate to Africa, with his sweetheart Anita to try their hand as performers. At the Inn Manuele, a carpenter, is discussing with the Innkeeper the efforts he has to makes to keep his beautiful wife Giuditta happy. Just then the army captain Octavio arrives. While ardently expressing the joys of life, he hears Giuditta’s voice, bemoaning her dull life and yearning for true love. Octavio is immediately taken by her beauty and engages her in conversation. She envies the fact that he is about to sail to Africa on a military campaign and he envies not having more time to spend with her. She decides to go with him to Africa, leaving Manuele to search for her in vain.

Scene II – Giuditta and Octavio are deeply in love, and are living in his villa in North Africa. Anita and Pierrino arrive since they spent all their money, and are asked to stay with Giuditta and Octavio. They accept the offer, but Anita insists on two different rooms for she and Pierrino until he properly asks for her hand in marriage. Octavio finds out that he must join in regiment to fight in the desert, and will be leaving in a few days.

 Scene III – Octavio’s regiment is encamped in a desert oasis, where confines to Lieutenant Antonio that he fears what will happen to Giuditta when the regiment moves on. He is convinced that she will never remain faithful to him, for she had left her husband to be with him. Suddenly Giuditta appears, and they reaffirm their love. When he tells her he must leave, she vainly pleads with him to stay. He has to decide if he will become a deserter for the love of Giuditta or stay with the regiment. When he hears the bugle he knows that he must leave because his sense of duty, while she breaks down in desperation.

Scene IV- Giuditta has become a successful dancer in the “Alcazar” nightclub in a North Africa city, performing an exotic routine. Anita is still with her, now as her dresser. Pierrino arrives to marry Anita since he has started his fruit selling business again. Giuditta is sorry to see them leave but gives her blessing and financial support to them as a wedding gift. Octavio has finally deserted the army and arrives at the nightclub to find Giuditta, who is being wooed by Lord Barrymore, a wealthy English peer. Since the parting of Giuditta, Octavio is a broken man; with his peace of mind destroys, he is a shadow of his former self, and he can only sit there and watch helplessly as she panders to the attentions of her wealthy patron.

Scene V- Octavio is reduced to working as a pianist for intimate suppers in a luxury hotel in Europe. He has been hired to play a supper “a deux” for a wealthy Duke and his date. The lady is Giuditta, and when she hears familiar music she realizes that it is Octavio who is playing the piano and she confronts him for the first time since his leaving her in Africa. He admits that he had come back for her, but after watching her dance and seeing her enslave her rich admirers, he knew he had lost her forever. Giuditta begs him to return to her; but he is a broken man and wants no part of her anymore. The duke arrives to dine with Giuditta; but she asks him to take her home before dinner, never to see Octavio again.