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Gisela's Stories

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The Fourth Story - 1913



Chapter 1​


It’s January. The tenth. Christmas is gone and the parties are over but today it’s my birthday. I’m eighteen at last. I’ve been waiting so long. And now I’m eighteen and I am so excited. I feel all of a sudden grown-up. It’s chilly in the house. The maid has been up a long time I suppose and the fire is roaring in the grate and I’m looking outside at the frost on the trees across Straße des Friedens, over the snow to the villas in the distance in Tettauastraße where my best friend Brangane lives. It’s a funny name I think. The girls at school sometimes laugh at her name, but she’s really nice and very pretty and has lots of boyfriends that her parents don’t know about, but I know she sometimes wishes she had a proper German name. I rub the icy ferns from the window pane and try to see her. I know I can’t. Her house is too far away and the trees are big. I'd really love to though. I know she’ll be here later on. It’s my birthday! She will come with a lovely present for me. She really is such a dear friend. And I’m so so excited. My father has promised to take me to the opera tonight. Of course I’ve been before, but this time I will be going as a grown-up. Not to the matinee with the understudies but the evening performance and I will wear my hair up and put on my mother’s jewelry. I am so excited! But I’ve got the whole day to wait. And really nothing to do. I suppose I will spend some time sending thank-you letters to my relatives and writing my diary and I’ve got a wonderful book of poems by Rilke to read - aren't I quite the grown-up girl? - and I think I will just curl up in my bedroom by the fire and that will be nice. It’s my birthday. Did I already tell you that?
 
pkindenhaag said:
The Fourth Story - 1913



Chapter 1​


It’s January. The tenth. Christmas is gone and the parties are over but today it’s my birthday. I’m eighteen at last. I’ve been waiting so long. And now I’m eighteen and I am so excited. I feel all of a sudden grown-up. It’s chilly in the house. The maid has been up a long time I suppose and the fire is roaring in the grate and I’m looking outside at the frost on the trees across Straße des Friedens, over the snow to the villas in the distance in Tettauastraße where my best friend Brangane lives. It’s a funny name I think. The girls at school sometimes laugh at her name, but she’s really nice and very pretty and has lots of boyfriends that her parents don’t know about, but I know she sometimes wishes she had a proper German name. I rub the icy ferns from the window pane and try to see her. I know I can’t. Her house is too far away and the trees are big. I'd really love to though. I know she’ll be here later on. It’s my birthday! She will come with a lovely present for me. She really is such a dear friend. And I’m so so excited. My father has promised to take me to the opera tonight. Of course I’ve been before, but this time I will be going as a grown-up. Not to the matinee with the understudies but the evening performance and I will wear my hair up and put on my mother’s jewelry. I am so excited! But I’ve got the whole day to wait. And really nothing to do. I suppose I will spend some time sending thank-you letters to my relatives and writing my diary and I’ve got a wonderful book of poems by Rilke to read - aren't I quite the grown-up girl? - and I think I will just curl up in my bedroom by the fire and that will be nice. It’s my birthday. Did I already tell you that?
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Such youthful, school-girl exuberance...nicely captured.:)
 
The tenth of January. Friday night and the snow is sparkling under the street lamps. Herr Rohkrämer has arranged for the car to take his daughter to the opera. Did Gisela mention who her father is? Well, he’s a very important person. He owns a big company: Der Firma Chemische Produkten Fabrik Ch. Rohkrämer und Sohn GmbH. That really does sound important, doesn’t it? And it really is. The factory is on the edge of the city and it is successful and modern and Herr Rohkrämer or Herr Doktor as he prefers to be known has profited hugely from it. And his family have profited too. They live in a beautiful house that was built sixteen years ago by the famous architect Max Brockert and that’s where Gisela has been lucky enough to grow up. She’s had a very pleasant childhood, going to a good school, learning the piano, enjoying holidays on the Lido in Venice and sometimes at the spas or perhaps enjoying the long summer days on the Baltic coast. And now she’s eighteen. And Herr Rohkrämer looks at her with deep satisfaction. She’s a beautiful girl. She’s wearing a lovely dress that reveals just enough of her young creamy shoulders. He can’t help look at her hair. There is so much of it! But the maid has done a good job and just a few tiny locks hang over her ears, the green of the emeralds so perfectly complimenting the red of her curls. She’s smiling at him and he adores the way the tiny gap between her front teeth appears when her soft lips open. He smiles back, then remembers where he is and pulls on his coat and hat and opens the door and looks outside where the snow is still blizzarding down.
 
The car pulls up outside the Alte Opera, the tires squeaking in the fresh snow, a few last flakes floating past the lamps by the octagonal entrance hall, flickering their light over the pediment with its lyre and plaster cornices. Herr Rohkrämer holds the door open for his daughter and bows to her with a broad grin. She wraps her shawl around her bare shoulders and softly steps down into the snow, taking care not to spoil her pretty slippers. A few steps and they’re inside, shaking themselves dry and shivering as the warmth of the lobby drives away the cold. Hand are shaken and introductions made. The Doktor is so proud of his daughter, introducing her to all his friends. He notices how their eyes slide over her décolletage as they bow to kiss her hand. And now her best friend Brangane appears and she will share their box tonight. They place a tiny kiss on each other’s cheek and clink their tall champagne glasses and smile. It’s time to go in. The bell has rung three times. They settle into the cosy comfort of their seats, then stand for the anthem. And then the music starts. This isn’t Berlin so it isn’t a first night and Rosenkavalier is already two years old, but the cast is the best, and soon the girls are completely absorbed by the music and the singing of the three female leads. They are captivated by Eva von der Osten who is playing Octavian. They can’t believe that a girl could play a boy like that! At the interval, as they sip more champagne, it’s all they can talk about. The Herr Doktor is busy chatting about freight rates with his friends from the Industrie-und Handelskammer.
 
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....by way of an explanation.... Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss premiered in 1911 in Dresden and was an instant triumph. It remains one of the composer's most popular works. It is unusual in that the three main roles are all played by women: The Marschallin - Princess Marie Therese von Werdenberg (soprano), Sophie von Faninal (soprano) and the unusual one, Octavian, Count Rofrano, the young lover of the Marschallin, who is always played by a mezzo-soprano in a so-called "breeches role". Eva took that role in the premiere. I really don't know if she ever sang at the Alte Opera but I am allowing myself a little artistic liberty!
 
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pkindenhaag said:
Octavian, Count Rofrano, the young lover of the Marschallin, who is always played by a mezzo-soprano in a so-called "breeches role".
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sometimes without breeches! :p

octavian der Rosenkav.jpg​
 
Well, I rather liked that. I know that everyone loves Strauss and I am so glad that there were no Valkyries or whatever, but it was fun! And Brangane liked it too, and of course it was such fun to dress up and I do like it when my father’s friends look at me. I know I sometimes blush but I think it’s adorable! They are so old! Anyway, now we’re off to some reception in a side-room in the Alte Opera. It’s cooler here, they’ve kept the windows open and the icy night has been inside. Now they’re half-shut and the trays of drinks are coming around and this is really so nice! I feel so … Well, I am eighteen you know! Did you remember that? I am!!! Anyway, now my father wants me to meet someone. She’s a tiny bit older I think. She’s rather pretty. No, she’s really really pretty. Who is she? I’ll find out. My father is introducing me now. She’s called Tristana – why do so many people I know have such odd names? Maybe her father liked Wagner or something. And now I’m being introduced to him too. He’s one of my father’s industrialist friends. I have no idea what on earth industrial ovens are, but I am sure someone knows. Anyway, she’s called Tristana Topf. I would hate it if I was called “TT”… I’m sure she was teased at school. And her cousin is here too. He looks quite nice. He’s called Markus apparently and he’s at university and is going to be an engineer like his uncle. Well. There we are. Anyway, we are enjoying our drinks and to be honest I feel a little bit tipsy. I’m glad they left the windows open a bit because I really need the cool air on my back, and so does Brangane, and I think Tristana feels the same. Actually, she really is very nice. I think I like Tristana. I’m sure we’ll meet again. I wish father wouldn’t keep trying to make me talk to Markus. Yes, he’s nice. But really, I think it’s still my birthday treat and I want to talk with my girlfriends!
 
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One more....

Heinrich%2BVogeler%2BSehnsucht..jpg


Heinrich Vogeler, Sehnsucht.​
 
I'd never come across Heinrich Vogeler before, but his art is so beautiful.... here's a bit more (depending on your tastes you may feel it necessary to subdue the soundtrack....).... and apologies for diverting myself so far off-topic, but hopefully it helps to develop a sense of place.... We will be heading North at some point in this story....

 
pkindenhaag said:
I was messing around, like you do, and found a few old pictures which I liked... They could be my girls in this story... Pick the ones you like and name them!

There are a few more to follow... not many!


View attachment 158668 View attachment 158669 View attachment 158670 View attachment 158671 View attachment 158672 View attachment 158673 View attachment 158674 View attachment 158675 View attachment 158676 View attachment 158677
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Like # 1 and 4 in this first batch :)
 
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