Gisela, Hit of the Trade Fair

At the state-run fashion enterprise VEB Berlin Chic, the manager is former accountant Mr Kuckuck, who has his employees creating mountains of products that nobody could actually wear. The main goal: success at the upcoming fashion fair in Leipzig! Besides him and his head secretary, there’s also Gisela, a down-to-earth employee who’s also caught the eye of newspaper man Fred Funke. In the end, it’s not the dictated design of the manager’s office that becomes the hit of the trade fair, but Gisela’s creation: fashion that works for the woman, not against her!

In composing his first music theatre piece for Berlin’s Metropol Theatre, Gerd Natschinski’s ideas were ‘modern and experimental, but linked to the best of what tradition has to offer’. With Adam Benzwi’s conducting, these snappy melodies go into the ears and right to the feet.

With Gisela, Hit of the Trade Fair, the Komische Oper Berlin is embarking on a new series showcasing the best of East Germany’s Heiteres Musiktheater. It’ll do this at the end of each season by pitching its tent—more precisely, the Queen of Flanders, a charming mirror tent from the Art Deco period—in central Berlin-Mitte.

Good to know
‘Hooray, a new operetta!’ is what the magazine Der Morgen exclaimed after the premiere on 16 October 1960. Its enthusiasm was born out by the staging of twenty-five additional productions across the country in just one year.

While he’s away, the journalist Fred Funke visits the enterprise to write a piece on preparations for the trade fair. He is particularly interested in Gisela’s designs, because what she envisages is a dress by women for women, suitable for all the challenges of everyday life. The highly ambitious Fred recognises her talent and wants to make a star of her straight away, but he’s unable to win over the down-to-earth Gisela. So he adopts an alter ego, as transport worker Alfred Knufe. While Marghueritta Kulicke, a secretary with
»oodles of sex appeal«, is flirting with quality controller Heinz, the boss returns unexpectedly – far too early, because the Western currency needed for the trip hasn’t been procured. He immediately asks Marghueritta to get the French fashion brand Dior’s catalogue for him, and waits for a flash of inspiration. Workshop supervisor Emma Puhlmann, who recognises Gisela’s talent but also sees more in Kuckuck than just the managing director, says she finds his behaviour unprofessional in every way.

In the meantime Fred Funke, alias Alfred Knufe, incites the workers to rise up against the boss. He is joined by the quality controller Heinz, hither- to loyal, but exasperated by the boss’s constant planning blunders. Alfred’s revolutionary ideas also find an open ear with Gisela, since she has taken a liking to the new transport worker. When in the midst of the industrial action, visitors to the open night burst in, chaos reigns supreme. Suddenly Kuckuck has an idea – the »Melon«, a daring dress design, will be the smash hit he is looking for! It will be presented at the trade fair by his secretary Marghueritta Kulicke, who he has now elevated to star model.

Scene two – Leipzig railway station

Arriving in Leipzig, Kuckuck visualises his big triumph at the trade fair with Marghueritta modelling the Melon. A negative press report about his managerial style at the Berlin enterprise – with Gisela on the front page
– has no appreciable impact on his plans, and he decides to put his side of the case in a counterstatement. Alfred and Gisela continue to get closer, but are interrupted by their colleagues. Together they have secretly produced Gisela’s mannequin to present at the fair.

Scene three – at Priemchen’ s house

With the help of the trade fair attendant Priemchen, the workshop supervisor Emma Puhlmann, Gisela’s favourite colleague Inge and quality control- ler Heinz plan to prevent Kuckuck’s Melon from being exhibited and to make Gisela’s mannequin the hit of the trade fair. Gisela’s trust in Alfred has been shaken by the newspaper article about her; after all, she doesn’t want to be in the limelight or have anything to do with the papers. Kuckuck drafts a counterstatement to the article and writes a song of praise about himself which Alfred is supposed to deliver to the newspaper as an »unbiased« letter to the editor from an uninvolved party. Marghueritta points out to Gisela how remarkably alike Fred Funke and Alfred Knufe are. Kuckuck finds out that his staff will be presenting Gisela’s mannequin without his consent. His Melon now has to compete against Gisela’s design in front of the audience – and it flops. Marghueritta, the model, feels humiliated and Kuckuck is devastated. He calls off the official presentation and tells his staff to get ready to leave.

Scene four - Leipzig exhibition centre

Gisela is desperate. The man she has fallen in love with is not who she thought he was, and the outfit she designed can’t be exhibited either. Fred Funke pulls out all the stops and manages, at the last minute, to make a presentation of Gisela’s mannequin possible with the combined efforts of the staff. Gisela’s design becomes the smash hit of the fashion show – the world and his wife want »the dress for every woman«! Under pressure from the public, Kuckuck has to admit defeat, and vacates his post in favour of Gisela. As for the rest, every Jack finds his Jill.