Die chinesische Wäscherei

Heidenreich, Elke (Libretto)

M.2T.BBar.1mute role
perc:5tplbl/vib-tpt(distant)

Mr. Berner has recently been widowed and grieves greatly for his late wife – not least because she took all the important household secrets with her into the grave: What is the recipe for lentil soup? How does one decalcify a kettle? And – most important – how does one iron shirts? Grumpy and sullen, he attempts to get a grip on his household, and regularly visits the grave of his wife, to whom he laments his plight.
Mrs. Klotz, his neighbor, who seldom leaves her post at the window and is thus well informed about the big and small events in her street, all too helpfully offers him her support – Mr. Berner prefers to do without.
Then, Mr. Berner discovers the Chinese laundry. The friendly Chinese owners answer his wary question of whether they also wash and iron shirts: “blling tomallo – pick up day aftell.” The next day Mr. Berner comes into the laundry with a large packet of shirts and only after all kinds of unfriendly enquiries lets himself be convinced that “Berner” is actually on the washtag, and not “Bellnelll.”
On the next day, Mr. Berner appears at the laundry to pick up his clean clothes. But when the packet is handed to him, Mr. Berner has a disquieting suspicion ...