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. Among the various goodies is a Jean Gilbert rediscovery and a forgotten title by Walter Kollo.

The official post-Corona opening of the freshly renovated house in Dreilinden is on 7 October 2021 with a gala. This follows on the heals of a new production of Lehár’s Die Juxheirat, the composer’s early feminist statement that has recently been revived in quite a few places, including in Santa Barbara. (Read Jim Smith’s review here, and learn more about the show itself here.)

But the big standout in terms of operetta titles is certainly Die Kinokönigin, Jean Gilbert’s 1913 hit about the new craze for cinema and screen goddesses.

It premiered at Berlin’s Metropoltheater with a libretto by Georg Okonkowski and Julius Freund, two of the star authors of the time. Lilli Wünscher and Mirjam Neururer will alternatie in the title role, opposite Adam Sanchez as the tenor lead. Stefan Klingele conducts and Andreas Gergen is the stage director.

The other rarity is Walter Kollo’s Jettchen Gebert which premiered in 1928 at Berlin’s Theater am Nollendorfplatz. It’ll be put on as part of an operetta workshop, and if we’re lucky there will be a recording, like with the earlier workshop productions.

Add to all of the above titles musicals such as Me and My Girl and Sweeney Todd, plus a Gräfin Mariza and Zar and Zimmermann (it seems they just can’t leave Spieloper alone there and say farewell to that beloved Nazi tradition), and you have the highlights of next season.

There are also two ballet evenings choreographed by Mirko Mahr, and, as a part of the “Wagner 22″ festival, performances of Der Ring für Kinder for children. Why the glorious Wagner spoof Die lustigen Nibelungen by Oscar Straus isn’t put on has to remain a mystery.

For more details and performance dates, click here.