Greman translation help needed!
 

Can anyone translate these words on a German beer stein?
Behut dich Gott (2 dots over u)
Es hat nicht sollen sein
Behut dich Gott (2 dots over u)
Es war'soschongewese (2 dots over a, and
the second o)

Yes, that's easy:
May God protect thee (note: this is a farewell in German, and thus means "adieu" at the same time),
it simply wasn't to be,
may God protect thee/adieu,
it would have been so nice.

This is a misrepresented quotation from Viktor Nessler's once famous sentimental late 19th century opera "Der Trompeter von Säckingen" (The Trumpeter of Säckingen). Properly cited, it has to read the other way round:
Behüt dich Gott,
es wär' so schön gewesen,
behüt dich Gott,
es hat nicht sollen sein.
This is in fact this opera's most famous aria (written for baritone).

That is a good translation.

In the Biblical sense, the German very behüten can be used in the sense of to look after someone; to provide care, protection, clothing and food.

There are some good phrases on German Bierkrüge. I wish I could remember one that hit me as being very funny. Perhaps Franco can recite it for me from this hint:
The verses had to do with not xxxing in the creek by order of the Bürgermeister because tomorrow is the day for beer brewing.

Sorry, bob_brown - I'm not a Bierkrüge expert, I'm an opera lover, and that other Bierkrug phrase doesn't seem to stem from an opera...

Bob: I think this is the one:

"Der Bürgermeister gibt bekannt, daß am Montag Bier gebraut wird und deshalb ab Sonntag nicht mehr in den Bach gesch..... werden darf"

I'm sure you can fill in the blank!

Thanks lavendrye; that verse is indeed THE one. Thanks a million. I think I saw a very slightly milder version. It was the p verb rather than the s verb.

I saw the the darn thing years ago, brought it home, and gave it to a friend. Unfortunately he moved his household and the krug came out in little pieces. He threw it away.

The last few times I have been in either Germany or Austria, I have tried to find another one, but to no avail. At least I have the verse now, thanks to cut and paste!!!

Unfortunately, I have never cultivated a liking for Wagnerian operas. However, the light stuff like Die Lustige Witwe and Die Fledermaus are funny and contain loads of good music. I just wish the spoken dialog was standard but it is not. I spent hours memorizing and translating both librettos which came with CDs I bought. When I got to Vienna I soon heard that the spoken dialogue was nothing like what I had learned.

Fortunately the parts that were sung were identical to what I had learned. .

That idiot ambassador Mirko in Die Lustige Witwe, over whose eyes wife Valencienne constantly pulls the wool, plus that more intelligent servant (Njegus is it?) are a trip. That scene where Njegus slips Valencienne out of the pavillion and puts Hanna in her place shows where Njegus' loyalties lie.

Camille, Valencienne, and Hanna all have some beautiful music to sing. And that one scene where Danilo blows his stack when he thinks Hanna is engaged to Camille is very dramatic.

When I saw a performance in Vienna, the producer interpolated a cancan dance into the last act. The singer who did the role of Valencienne was fantastic. Not only could she sing the role, she could also dance it.

The audience went wild and the conductor had the cast repeat the cancan. After the second encore, Valencienne motioned to the conductor enough all ready. She was pooped. The trumpet players had a good time because they got to stand up, face the audience, and play all out.

PS
If any of you know a really first class oboe player, direct him or her to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Principal oboist Jonathan Dlouhy has resigned effective immediately.

Also, the ASO is seeking a permanent first trumpet and a bass trombonist. Chris Martin left for Chicago last year and Donald Wells is finally retiring after many many years of playing.

Thank you Franco! You gave me more info than I expected! This inscription is on an old beer stein, and may actually be written in the order you said it should be....hard to tell on the stein as it was written in two places. Now that you told me this is from an old opera I will give it to my son who is an opera fan! Thanks!