Latest Articles
A “Candid” Version of Bernstein’s Operetta At The Enescu Festival
Leonard Bernstein’s one-and-only operetta Candide is slated to premiere at the Enescu Festival in Bucharest on Friday, 24 September. It
read more
The Patriarchy Thinks Dicks Smell Like Roses: “Lila Lied” As Queer Cabaret At SchwuZ
“Welcome to the 20s” says the poster for Lila Lied, “The Queer Cabaret” that was presented in Berlin’s SchwuZ. In
read more
Curtain Raisers: “Les Deux Aveugles” and “Cox and Box” At Wilton’s Music Hall
Opera della Luna, under the artistic direction of Jeff Clarke, has built a well-deserved reputation for staging inventive productions of
read more
Richard Genée’s “Die Antisemiten” (1868): Solo Scene Translated Into English
With a title like Die Antisemiten (The Antisemites) attached to a “Grand Opera” you have the immediate attention of most
read more
“Bitte Britisch”: Staatsoperette Dresden Takes Us On A Musical Journey
I was surprised, and delighted, to hear that the Staatsoperette Dresden are to give an all-“Britisch” concert, taking in a
read more
Berliner Ensemble: “Dreigroschenoper” As Cellblock Tango Without Fosse
It’s not unusual for Barrie Kosky to stage something outside of Komische Oper, but usually he doesn’t do it in
read more
Adam Benzwi Discusses “Dreigroschenoper” & Singing Brecht/Weill Today
Pianist and musical director Adam Benzwi was slated to premiere “his” Dreigroschenoper interpretation – in collaboration with stage director Barrie
read more
Fancy A Slice Of Gänzl? “Gilbert & Sullivan: The Players And The Plays”
I’m the oldest standing member of the Operetta Research Center. I was one of the fairies who presided at its
read more
The World’s First Queer Operetta Is Coming To BKA
The BKA Theater (Berliner Kabarett Anstalt) just announced that “the world’s first queer operetta” will premiere on 6 October, 2021,
read more
Paul O’Montis: Biography Of A “Vortragskünstler” Adored By Elderly Ladies & Young Gentlemen
Most operetta fans will know Paul O’Montis because he made a famous recording of “Was kann der Sigismund dafür, dass
read more
Live In Buxton: The 27th International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival
The 27th International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival takes place at Buxton every year, before moving on to Harrogate. International even
read more
“Magna Mater”: Operetta As a Dionysian Festival That Points To The Future
It’s impossible to just write a review about the artistic merits (or non-merits) of the new tutti d*amore production that’s
read more
Gilbertmania in Spain: Revivisting Jean Gilbert (1879-1942)
When Max Winterfeld – better known by his artistic name Jean Gilbert – arrived in Spain in 1934, the country
read more
First Full Recording Of Johann Strauss’ “Waldmeister” (1895)
The label Naxos is continuing its Johann Strauss series with a new recording of late operetta Waldmeister, which originally premiered
read more
Charell’s “Casanova” & Spoliansky’s “Zwei Krawatten“ Come To Staatsoperette Dresden
Using the famous line “Die ganze Welt ist himmelblau,” the artistic director of Staatsoperette Dresden, Kathrin Kondaurow, has presented her
read more
Jean Gilbert’s “Kinokönigin” (1913) Is Returning To The Stage In Leipzig
There’s interesting news from Leipzig, where the Musikalische Komödie has just announced what they’ll be doing in the 2021/22 season.
read more
The Birth Of Operetta From A Gigantic Vagina: Dutch National Opera Academy Presents “Fledermaus”
Last week the Dutch National Opera Academy and Residentie Orkest presented Die Fledermaus in the Compagnietheater for four sold out
read more
Laurent Pelly’s “Barbe-bleue” From Opéra de Lyon Arrives On DVD
Laurent Pelly’s celebrated production of Offenbach’s Barbe-bleue from the Opéra de Lyon has finally arrived on DVD. It offers Yann
read more
Bare-Butted Dancers In A Screw-It-Together IKEA Box: “Pariser Leben” in Neustrelitz
The new intendant of the “Festspiele im Schlossgarten” in Neustrelitz – one and a half hours north of Berlin –
read more
“Sissi, Queen of Hungary”: Huszka’s Operetta Turned Into A “National Heritage” Production
The Hungarian “Monarchia Operett” (Monarchy Operetta Company [1]), under the artistic direction of dance comedian and costume designer Péter Erik
read more
LA VIE PARISIENNE Opéra-bouffe in 4 (originally 5) acts by Jacques Offenbach
In the midst of Meilhac, Halévy and Offenbach’s dazzling series of successes with the earliest of their famous opéras-bouffes –
read more
Reizvolle Ausgrabung: Benatzkys “Zur gold’nen Liebe” auf der Bühne Burgäschi
Die in der Schweiz glücklicherweise immer noch zahlreichen Amateur-Theatertrupen leisten gerade bei der Operettenpflege Beachtliches. Die „Bühne Burgäschi“ hatte zuletzt
read more
Apocalypse Now: Tutti D*Amore Presents “Magna Mater” As a Mashup Of “Schöne Galathée” & “Lysistrata”
The “tuttis” are at their exercise again, you might say. The Berlin Collective for Contemporary Operetta is presenting their queer-feminist
read more
Gustave Kerker’s “The Belle of New York” Is Coming To Theater für Niedersachsen
It was originally planned for May 2021, but didn’t happen because of you-know-what. However, Theater für Niedersachen (TfN) didn’t give
read more
Arnold Bennett Discusses Operettas & Musicals: Journal Entries 1897-1928
The English author Arnold Bennett (1867-1931) is best known as a novelist and playwright. He also kept a journal in
read more
A Murderous Musical Mystery Tour: “Express G & S” In London
Express G&S was conceived during lockdown, and is the well nigh perfect post-lockdown entertainment, especially for Gilbert & Sullivan aficionados,
read more
Post-Lockdown: An Unusual Feast Of Operetta For The United Kingdom
The various ‘lockdowns’ that we, in the UK, have lived under for the last 18 months have meant that several productions
read more
Barrie Kosky’s All-Singing, All-Dancing Yiddish Revue – Plus Other Farewell-Highlights
Of course he wasn’t going to present his last season as intendant of Komische Oper Berlin via Zoom or only
read more
Thomas Enzinger Claims To Reconstruct The 1928 “Lustige Witwe” In Dortmund
You need to read this announcement very carefully: the opera house in Dortmund has released a statement that says they
read more
„Eine Stimme für Deutschland“: Grüne Fotze vs. genderfluide AfD-Kandidatin
Politiksatiren können ganz wunderbar als Musical oder Operette funktionieren, wie nicht nur Jacques Offenbach im 19. Jahrhundert immer wieder gezeigt
read more
Slow-Motion Lehár: “Giuditta“ At Bayerische Staatsoper In A Staging By Christoph Marthaler
There are those who consider stage director Christoph Marthaler a genius, because he takes the speed out of stories and
read more
“Roxy und ihr Wunderteam” Comes To Volksoper Wien In September 2021
Finally, Paul Ábrahám’s football vaudeville Roxy und ihr Wunderteam returns to Vienna, the place where the German version by Alfred
read more
What’s The Use Of Rethinking “Der Zigeunerbaron” When Stefan Soltesz Delivers A Retro-Reading?
With a delay of almost five months, the new production of Johann Strauss’ Der “Zigeuner“baron [sic] finally premiered at Komische
read more
What A Voyage! Historic “La Fille de Madame Angot” Recordings In English, French & Italian
The sky is blue, the sun is shining, the waves are tinkling on the shore a hundred metres from me
read more
World Premiere Recording of Ábrahám’s Jazzy 1932 “Ball at the Savoy” In English
Paul Abrahám’s flavorsome jazz operetta, which premiered to great acclaim in 1932 Berlin at Großes Schauspielhaus, only to have its
read more
The Showtime Series: Historic Recordings Of “Mademoiselle Modiste” & “Naughty Marietta”
After 1945, Decca and American Columbia developed the 33 rpm LP vinyl record to replace the 78 rpm shellac disc.
read more