Marta Eggerth - Franz Lehár's magnificent Operetta for film "Once there was a Waltz" continues with film clips showing the happy ending starring Marta Eggerth and famous tenor Marcel Wittrisch
From the film: Es War einmal ein Walzer - Once there was a Waltz - Café Vienes
Marta, in her role as Steffi Pirzinger, finds a ticket in the street to a show called "Es war einmal ein Walzer". She decides to go, and is ushered to sit by a young man, Rudi Möbius, played by Rolf van Goth. He had purposely dropped this ticket in the hope of meeting a very special person on his last night as a bachelor. The next day he was to meet his "wealthy" fiancée that was going to save the family bank. His financial advisor, Assessor Pfennig, played by the famous comedian, Albert Paulig, sitting behind him is clearly upset as he observes his "protégé" being obviously smitten with this unknown young lady, thus ruining the financial arrangement. At this point nobody is aware that everyone is actually broke.
In the meantime, the young lady Rudi is supposed to be marrying, Lucy, played by Lizzie Natzler, is in the audience and in love with the flutist in the orchestra, Gusti Linzer, played by Ernst Verebes. Included in the clip is a star performance by the famous tenor Marcel Wittrisch singing "Es war einmal ein Walzer" the title song - There is also an amazing interaction between Marta and Rudi - who communicate in silence having just met.
This clip shows the happy ending - since everyone is broke but in love, they escape to Berlin where they decide to open a successful Viennese Café and thanks to Marta's father, Franz Pirzinger, the tour bus operator, played by the famous Paul Hörbiger, the tourists pour in.
In the clip Marta sings Es war einmal ein Walzer and everyone in love and happy working in the Café.
Es war einmal ein Walzer
Translations and lyrics of the song:
Lied und English Waltz
Aus der gleichnamigen Aafa-Tonfilm-Operette
Text von Fritz Rotter und A. Robinson - Musik von Franz Lehár
Verse 1
Heut' regiert eine neue Zeit
und Herz ist nicht mehr modern,
heut' ist auch die Gemütlichkeit ein Traum,
der leider so fern. Klingt's auch sonderbar
so wie's damals war,
jeder muss es sich eingesteh'n:
Es war schön, wunderschön!
Refrain:
Es war einmal ein Walzer,
Es war einmal ein Wien!
Es waren schönre Zeiten,
Doch die sind längst dahin.
Doch alles nimmt ein Ende,
Zum Glück wird oft das Leid;
Dann kehrt mit einem Walzer
Zurück die schöne Zeit!
Verse 2
Liebe ist ein vergessnes Wort,
Gefühle werden verlacht!
Heute liebt man im Weltrekord,
der keinen glücklicher macht.
Jeder sagt so gern: Das ist unmodern!
Doch das Herz denkt im Augenblick
voller Sehnsucht zurück.
English Translation: Once there was a Waltz
Verse 1:
A new age dawns
And the heart has fallen out of fashion.
Today, a tender embrace is but a dream,
And seems so far away.
Yet, strange as it might seem,
This was how things were,
And, as everyone agrees,
The times were wonderful, simply wonderful!
Refrain:
Once there was waltz,
And elusive dreams of Vienna!
Those were gentler times,
That disappeared so long ago.
Though everything must end somehow
suddenly sorrow can turn to joy, and
a waltz will bring those happy days back home
Verse 2
Love is a long-forgotten word,
And feelings bring you only mockery!
Today, one loves at a world-record rate,
Which brings nobody happiness.
Everyone so quick to say: Oh, how old-fashioned that is!
But our heart thinks back
full of nostalgic longing.
Spanish translation:
Verso 1
Hoy nuevos tiempos mandan
(y) el corazón de moda no está.
Hoy también la ternura es un sueño
que quedó atrás. Extraño suena pues
como entonces fue,
mas cada cual debe admitir
cuán maravilloso:
éranse una vez valses,
érase una vez Viena,
Eran tiempos amables
que quedaron atrás
Y aunque todo se acabe
y a la dicha siga (el) pesar
Aquellos bellos tiempos
El vals vuelve a acercar!
Verso 2:
Palabra olvidada es "Amor",
del "Sentimiento" se hace mofa,
hoy se ama a tal velocidad,
que a nadie hace feliz.
Todos dicen ya : "Desfasado está!"
Mas con añoranza el corazón
un instante vuelve atrás
Written and compiled by Jane Knox-Kiepura and Marjan Kiepura
We want to thank Dr. Thomas Gayda in Austria, Edmund Knox in London, Thomas Krebs in Switzerland, and my Catalan friend, Sonia in Barcelona, who have all helped with translations from and to English, German and Spanish. Cover Poster by Wilhelm Herzig: Willy (Wilhelm Herzig), was born in Dresden in 1894 and died in Vienna in 1978. He did numerous designs for the "Drei Masken Verlag" (founded by Armin Robinson) as well as the "Wiener Bohème" and "Alrobi" publishing companies. Source: Dr. Thomas Gayda. We also want to thank Diane Brown for her artwork and photography foxtalestudio.com.
In this photo dedication Albert Paulig writes to Marta:
"Der bald berühmten Martha Eggerth, Albert Paulig, mit grosster sympatie London 8 Jan 1931
To the "rising star" Martha Eggerth, Albert Paulig, with greatest affection, London 8 Jan 1931
A la pronto famosa Martha Eggerth, con gran simpatía - Londres, 8 de enero de 1931"
"Let us tell you their story" - Albert Paulig
Albert Paulig (Jan 14 1873-March 19 1933) who plays "Assessor Pfennig" in "Es war einmal ein Walzer" also appeared with Marta Eggerth in her first sound film "Die Bräutigamswitwe - The Bridgroom's Widow" that was filmed at Elstree in London in 1930/31 and "Der Frauendiplomat - The Lady Diplomat". IMDB lists 193 films he appeared in - not sure how many actors could count 193 by 1933! Albert Paulig had worked with famous Director Ernst Lubitsch (Born Berlin 1892-died Hollywood 1947) in the very early days of film. Paulig was a great actor and comedian and Marta remembered him fondly and kept this photo dedicated to her when she was only 19 and a rising star in 1931.
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