World Premiere Recording of this ballet-opera in five scenes by Heinz von Cramer.

On the surface it is a comic version of the “Hauptmann von Köpenick” story in which it is not the petty thief Wilhelm Voigt who carries off the prank but a respected member of society, the clerk Wilhelm Fadenkreutz. He is not a factory owner like Diederich Heßling, but definitely has many of the characteristics of the hero of 'Der Untertan'.

Boris Blacher and Heinz von Cramer quickly realised that such a devastating critique of Germany’s past would not be easy to stage, and they toned down the satirical text before presenting it to the intendant of the Städtische Oper, Heinz Tietjen. Blacher also shortened the caricature of the German national anthem played on the tuba at the start of the piece to make it less recognisable.

The authors cast about for a long time for a title for their work that would not conflict with Carl Zuckmayer’s 'Der Hauptmann von Köpenick'. After considering 'Herrliche Zeiten' (Happy Times), they finally hit on the idea of combining the local and the fantastical by calling the work 'Preußisches Märchen' (A Prussian Fairytale).

The premiere on 23 September 1952 in the Theater des Westens, where the Deutsche Oper Berlin ensemble appeared under the title of “Städtische Oper” between 1945 and 1961, was acclaimed by audiences and critics alike.

Cast:
- Vater Fadenkreutz, Mother: Lisa Otto
- Mutter Fadenkreutz, Father:Ivan Sardi
- Wilhelm, Their Son: Manfred Röhrl
- Auguste, Their Daughter: Gerti Zeumer
- Assessor Birkhahn, Civil Servant: Donald Grobe
- Bürgermeister, The Mayor: Victor Von Halem

Stage Director: Winfried Bauernfeind

Live recording from the Deutsche Oper Berlin, 1974.

"A raging success ... full of brilliant gags ... since its premiere the opera‘s text and music have not lost any of their crisp freshness. The typical tone of Berlin, the mixture of realism and spook, the multilevel dramaturgy - all this proves very successful at the Great House ... West-Berlin‘s opera has a box office hit!" - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 1974

Sound Format: PCM Stereo
Picture Format: 4:3
DVD Format: DVD 9, NTSC
Subtitle Languages: DE (Original Language), GB, FR, ES, IT
Running Time: 103 mins
FSK: 0
Region Code: 0
Worldwide available