About the work
Opera (Singspiel) in three acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer, composed for the reopening of Berlin's Royal Opera House, destroyed by fire in 1843, and premiered there on 7 December 1844. The libretto was officially credited to Ludwig Rellstab, but the text was actually written by Eugène Scribe, since the Prussian king insisted on a German author while Meyerbeer preferred Scribe.
Plot
During the Seven Years' War, King Frederick II must hide from enemy soldiers and is sheltered by the flute player Conrad and the gypsy Vielka. When the supposed traitor Saldorf is about to be lynched in Act II, Frederick's intervention prevents it. Once at Sanssouci, Vielka and Conrad are rewarded for their loyalty in Act III.
Cultural significance
The role of Vielka was composed for the young Swedish soprano Jenny Lind, though she first sang it only on 5 January 1845 — at the premiere itself, the part was taken by Leopoldine Tuczek. Because of its strongly Prussian-patriotic subject, Meyerbeer withdrew the work after a few performances; for the international market, a toned-down Viennese version titled "Vielka" followed in 1847.