The Student King is a light opera in three acts with music by Reginald de Koven and book and lyrics by Frederic Ranken and Stanislaus Stangé. It was performed by the Henry W. Savage Opera Company at the Studebaker Theatre, Chicago, on 21 May 1906 and also presented at the Garden Theatre, New York, on 25 December 1906.

Dramatis Personæ

MIDI Files

ACT I   -   University Place in Prague, Bohemia.   Summer, 1600.

• No. 1 - Opening Chorus - "This university calls me by coutesy its Curator ... Oh! what a bore! ... Try no experiment, all undue merriment I abhor! ..."
• No. 2 - Duet - Merrilaff and Grumblekoff - "As counsellor, I scheme and plan ... Disturbed by me, his brother ... Our father was a gentleman..."
• No. 3 - Election Ensemble - "Come, lads, your King be choosing! ... Much precious time we're losing ... Away with all reflection, now proceed to the election!"
• No. 4 - Entrance of Ilsa, with Chorus of Girls - "Ilsa would a-wooing go, heigh-o! and heigh-o!  She's disguised so none may know..."
• No. 5 - Song - Francis (a.k.a. Fortunatus) - "A secret lies within my heart, I fain would see, I fain would see, a secret sweet I pray impart alone, alone to me..."
• No. 6 - Entrance of the King - "Our King with royal pageantry advances, we welcome him with merry fife and drums.  This regal pomp his dignity enhances..."
• No. 7 - Song - King Rudolph - "When as a child I found that I had trouble and to spare to, then someone's pills would cure the ills that childhood oft is heir to..."
• No. 8 - Finale Act I - "High carnival!  High carnival!  What magic it contains!  High carnival!  High carnival!  The King of mischief reigns!"

ACT II   -   Ballroom in the Royal Palace.   Night.

• No. 9 - Introduction and Carnival Scene - "We hear!  Now 'tis carnival, let us be gay!  Be gay!  Long live Carnival, all of us say!  Hail the night..."
• No. 10 - Tarantella - Fantine and Chorus - "Now we come to woo.  Lovers would a-wooing go.  We are lovers true, hola!  Come Cupid from above, and show us..."
• No. 11 - Duet - Ilsa and Francis - "Sweet Columbine thy heart entwine, dear Columbine, with heart of mine.  My Queen art thou, to thee I vow..."
• No. 12 - Czárdás - Anne and Chorus - "Tell me, lovers, tell me where hides the one I seek, the lost king I seek?  Tell me, where is he? ..."
• No. 13 - Duet - Merrilaff and King Rudolph - "If you would win a lady fair, how you begin, now have a care!  What they don't know no man may guess..."
• No. 14 - Scene - Ilsa, Francis and Chorus - "High carnival, high carnival!  The King of mischief reigns!  High carnival, high carnival!  His will alone obtains..."
• No. 15 - Song - Ilsa - "There was once a gay lieutenant who had never, never been to war;  he was awfully fond of a dainty little blonde..."
• No. 16 - Song - Rudolph and Men - "Near a minster liv'd a spinster, and she was a damsel fair ... She was a damsel, she was a damsel, she was a damsel fair..."
• No. 17 - Finale Act II - "Now our King weds tonight ... What from this shall betide? ... Hail the Queen with delight..."

ACT III   -   Fest Hall of the University.   About 11.30 p.m.

• No. 18 - Scene and Ensemble - "Students draw near, keep the steins brimming with foaming beer, till the lark's roundelay greets the golden god of day..."
• No. 19 - Song - Ilsa and Chorus - "I once knew a student, in love then was he, with a tra-la-la-la, tra-la-la, who said 'I am prudent and good as can be'..."
• No. 20 - Finale Act III - "High Carnival, high Carnival, what magic it contains.  High Carnival, high Carnival!  The King of mischief reigns!"

 MIDI files

External Link

Vocal Score at the Internet Archive

American Musical Theatre

Page modified 29 March 2017