33^rd Festival Season - 2011

THE FORTUNE TELLER

Music by Victor Herbert

Vocal Score Reconstruction by Adam Aceto

ACT I: Unaware that she is the lost heiress to a fortune, ballet student Irma pursues her studies at the conservatory under dance master Fresco. The impoverished nobleman and aspiring composer Count Berezowski knows of the inheritance and is determined to marry her and secure her fortune for himself. He works out a profit-sharing deal with Fresco, who will assist him in delivering Irma. She, however, is in love with the dashing Hungarian Hussar Ladislas, who informs her that her twin brother Fedor has deserted his regiment and apparently run off with the Parisian opera singer Mlle. Pompon. Irma has a plan - she will impersonate her twin, averting her brother's prosecution as a deserter, and write a suicide note to the Count declaring Irma's "unavailability." A gypsy band arrives - among them are Sandor and his girlfriend, the fortune teller Musette, who by sheer coincidence is a dead-ringer for Irma. Fresco thinks that she is Irma, returned from the dead, and offers her to the Count, who schedules an immediate wedding. The act ends in total confusion as Ladislas and Sandor feel betrayed by their misidentified girlfriends.

ACT II: Fresco reassures Musette's father Boris (who is being paid off for his cooperation in the impersonation) that the wedding with the Count will indeed take place. Sandor bemoans the apparent infidelity of his beloved Musette, but she assures him that she is really his. Mlle. Pompon appears, sees Irma and thinks that she is Fedor. Before long, we learn that Pompon has had previous encounters with not only Fedor, but also the Count and Ladislas. Again, total confusion! Sandor appears, sees Irma, thinks her Musette, but is insulted when she doesn't recognize him. Ladislas appears, sees Fedor, knows that "he" is really Irma, but is insulted at her seeming insistence on marrying the Count.

ACT III: Sandor arrives at the camp of the Hussar regiment, having followed who he thought was girlfriend Musette, but who actually was Irma still impersonating Fedor. The Count appears, asks "Fedor" for his sister's hand in marriage, but is rebuffed. The Count, Fresco, and Boris, thinking that Irma has run away and that Fedor will now claim the fortune, plot his demise, which is fine with Pompon, as she feels that he has given her the cold shoulder. All ends happily ever after!