Anna Kraus
Anna Kraus is a German woman forced to leave her country under Nazi oppression because of her political views. This one-act radio opera was commissioned by the BBC and first broadcast on its Third Programme.
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Anna Kraus is a German woman forced to leave her country under Nazi oppression because of her political views. This one-act radio opera was commissioned by the BBC and first broadcast on its Third Programme.
A young inventor, Anthony Allen, has created a working television but has not had much success in promoting it. The head of a radio broadcasting company fears competition and pays Allen to suppress his invention. Allen takes a luxury cruise to the "Ruritanian" kingdom of Krasnia in Central Europe. There he sees an operetta, Glamorous Nights, starring the gypsy princess Militza Hajos, the prima-donna of the state opera. He meets the star and learns that she is betrothed to the King of Krasnia. Allen saves her from an assassin and, after she flees the country aboard his cruise ship, he rescues her from a shipwreck caused by another assassination plot. They soon fall in love. Meanwhile, the gypsies side with the King to overcome a revolution and also promote the reunion of Militza and King Stefan. Brokenhearted, Anthony gives her up, for the good of the kingdom. The king finances Anthony's invention. Back in England, Allen watches the king's wedding to Militza on his television.
In 1911, Rudi Kleber, a penniless young Jewish composer, plays the piano at an Austrian country inn, where he has been friends since childhood with the innkeeper's daughter, Grete; they pledge to marry someday. Maria Zeitler, an operetta star, arrives with her older admirer and patron, Prince Charles Metterling. She and Rudi fall in love, and she becomes his mistress; he composes successful operettas for her. Three years later, Grete returns from England. She has become a dancer, and Rudi swiftly includes her in his production. Maria is jealous, fearing Rudi is in love with Grete, even though Grete has a boyfriend, Franzl. Maria overhears Rudi proposing to Grete in jest and does not wait to hear Grete laughingly reject him. Pregnant and believing Rudi will never marry her, Maria returns to Vienna and immediately marries Prince Charles. Maria's child, Otto, is brought up to believe he is Metterling's son. A dozen years later, Maria introduces Otto to Rudi. Rudi and Maria discover that they are still love with each other, and Maria is unhappy in her marriage, but Rudi realizes he must not break up her marriage for the sake of their son. Another decade passes. In 1938 Rudi is arrested by the Nazis for helping Jews to escape Austria, but Maria uses her husband's connections to help him. She assures him that their son opposes the Nazis and tells him that he will be remembered for making "the whole world dance".
In Troy, Cressida falls in love with Troilus, but during a prisoner exchange she is sent to the Greek camp. Her messages from Troilus are intercepted, and believing he has forgotten her, she accepts Diomede; when Troilus arrives, Calkas kills him, and Cressida dies by suicide.
Anna Kraus is a German woman forced to leave her country under Nazi oppression because of her political views. This one-act radio opera was commissioned by the BBC and first broadcast on its Third Programme.
A young inventor, Anthony Allen, has created a working television but has not had much success in promoting it. The head of a radio broadcasting company fears competition and pays Allen to suppress his invention. Allen takes a luxury cruise to the "Ruritanian" kingdom of Krasnia in Central Europe. There he sees an operetta, Glamorous Nights, starring the gypsy princess Militza Hajos, the prima-donna of the state opera. He meets the star and learns that she is betrothed to the King of Krasnia. Allen saves her from an assassin and, after she flees the country aboard his cruise ship, he rescues her from a shipwreck caused by another assassination plot. They soon fall in love. Meanwhile, the gypsies side with the King to overcome a revolution and also promote the reunion of Militza and King Stefan. Brokenhearted, Anthony gives her up, for the good of the kingdom. The king finances Anthony's invention. Back in England, Allen watches the king's wedding to Militza on his television.
In 1911, Rudi Kleber, a penniless young Jewish composer, plays the piano at an Austrian country inn, where he has been friends since childhood with the innkeeper's daughter, Grete; they pledge to marry someday. Maria Zeitler, an operetta star, arrives with her older admirer and patron, Prince Charles Metterling. She and Rudi fall in love, and she becomes his mistress; he composes successful operettas for her. Three years later, Grete returns from England. She has become a dancer, and Rudi swiftly includes her in his production. Maria is jealous, fearing Rudi is in love with Grete, even though Grete has a boyfriend, Franzl. Maria overhears Rudi proposing to Grete in jest and does not wait to hear Grete laughingly reject him. Pregnant and believing Rudi will never marry her, Maria returns to Vienna and immediately marries Prince Charles. Maria's child, Otto, is brought up to believe he is Metterling's son. A dozen years later, Maria introduces Otto to Rudi. Rudi and Maria discover that they are still love with each other, and Maria is unhappy in her marriage, but Rudi realizes he must not break up her marriage for the sake of their son. Another decade passes. In 1938 Rudi is arrested by the Nazis for helping Jews to escape Austria, but Maria uses her husband's connections to help him. She assures him that their son opposes the Nazis and tells him that he will be remembered for making "the whole world dance".
In Troy, Cressida falls in love with Troilus, but during a prisoner exchange she is sent to the Greek camp. Her messages from Troilus are intercepted, and believing he has forgotten her, she accepts Diomede; when Troilus arrives, Calkas kills him, and Cressida dies by suicide.