Stefan Huber (1960-2023): Ein Nachruf aus Zuschauerperspektive
Diese Woche verstarb der Regisseur Stefan Huber. Er hat u.a. mit seiner Operettenserie an der Komischen Oper Berlin Aufmerksamkeit erregt,
read moreAll posts by kevin
No Laughs Left: Gothic Opera Presents “Rip Van Winkle”
In 1878 The Chimes of Normandy became the ‘hit’ musical show in London, running for over 700 performances, which was
read more
The “Fake” Disney Princess: Diana Damrau Sings Operetta
So, here it is at last: Diana Damrau’s operetta album dedicated to the “life embracing side” of the genre and
read more
The Biography of Valtesse de la Bigne, Mistress of Paris
We’ve all read stories about the big players: Jacques Offenbach, Ludovic Halevy, Henri Meilhac, and certainly Napoleon III. But you
read more
The “La fille de Madame Angot” Disaster at Opéra Comique
The last time this wonderful operetta by Charles Lecocq was performed in Paris was in 1984, at the Châtelet. I
read more
“Prinz von Preußen”: A Forgotten DDR Musical Revived in Zittau
At the small Gerhart Hauptmann Theater in Zittau (close to the Czech and Polish border in Eastern Germany) you can
read more
Volker Klotz: 20. Dezember 1930 – 31. Mai 2023
Volker Klotz, der vor knapp vier Monaten im hohen Alter von 92 Jahren verstarb, war ein außergewöhnlich produktiver und dabei
read more
Opera Rara’s New “La Princesse de Trébizonde”
Ever since that night so many years ago when I saw my first Offenbach (November 4, 1974, Hoffmanns Erzählungen, at
read more
It’s Finally Here: Karin Meesmann’s Biography of Paul Ábrahám
Anyone interested in Paul Ábrahám will have known – or will have heard – that Karin Meesmann has been working
read more
New Recording from Graz: Nico Dostal’s “Clivia” on cpo
Nico Dostal scored a hit with his Clivia when it premiered at Berlin’s Theater am Nollendorfplatz in December 1933, after
read more
Erstmals auf DVD: Benatzkys „Der reichste Mann der Welt“
In der Geschichte der deutschsprachigen Operette bedeutet die sogenannte Machtergreifung der Nationalsozialisten Anfang 1933 einen radikalen Einschnitt: Die bis dahin
read more
World Premiere Recording: Walter W. Goetze’s “Wenn Männer schwindeln”
The works of German pre-WW1 composers have only recently come back into focus again – as opposed to the better-known
read more
Wiener Operette, Moderne und kulturelle Viefalt: Moritz Csákys Essay in neuer Auflage
1996 erschien Moritz Csákys „kulturhistorischer Essay“ Ideologie der Operette und Wiener Moderne (Wien – Köln – Weimar: Böhlau). 2021 kam
read more
CAMELOT Musical in 2 acts by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe
Camelot had the impossibly difficult task of following behind My Fair Lady in the opus of Lerner and Loewe, and
read more
“Camelot” Returns With A New Broadway Cast Album
I have always liked 90 percent of Camelot. And 100 percent of its delicious source material. I am, yes, too
read more
“They Haven’t Lost Their Mojo”: The Ohio Light Opera Festival 2023
For the first time in four years, Ohio Light Opera has returned for a full indoor season of shows (though
read more
The History of the Imperial Summer Theater in Bad Ischl
Teresa Hrdlicka has just published a 184-page book entitled Das kaiserliche Sommertheater in Bad Ischl: Operette und Oper unter Kaiser
read more
“Iolanthe”: Betting Dollars to Donuts on These Fairies At Carnegie Hall
It’s only May, but I’m betting dollars to donuts that this starry production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s seventh comic opera
read more
Victor Herbert’s “Cyrano de Bergerac”: Live in New York
“You’re about to see a flop,” VHRP Artistic Director Alyce Mott impishly teased the packed house a few moments before
read more
Uraufführung von Moritz Eggerts neuer Operette „Die letzte Verschwörung“
Ich werde diese Szene nie vergessen. Als sich während eines der Zwischenlockdowns mein Elektriker endlich wieder in meine Wohnung wagte,
read more
Linz & Wien: Zweimal „Gräfin Mariza“ von Thomas Enzinger
Kálmáns Gräfin Mariza ist (neben der Csardasfürstin) eine seiner perfektesten, beliebtesten und daher zu Recht jahrein jahraus, landauf landab, im
read more
Rodgers & Hammerstein Revisited: “The King and I” & “South Pacific” on Jay Records
This morning I had an interesting package on my desktop. Complete recordings of The King and I (1994) and South
read more
Jacques Offenbach and the Making of Modern Culture: An Interview with Laurence Senelick
At long last someone has written a brand new Offenbach book – in English. And what’s even better, it’s a
read more
Stanislavsky and “The Mikado”
Operetta was one of the most successful forms of theatre to go transglobal in the 19th and early 20th century.
read more
“Linie 1”: Revising Berlin’s Legendary Subway Musical at GRIPS Theater
When Linie 1 premiered in West-Berlin back in 1986, three years before the wall came down and East and West
read more
“Lustige Witwe”: Barrie Kosky Tackles the “Führer’s” Favorite Operetta in Zurich
In the past, Barrie Kosky has shunned the works of Franz Lehár. His operetta focus has been on works by
read more
Springtime for Fritzi: A New Play About Massary with Daniela Ziegler
While the world is still waiting for a full-scale bio pic about the life of Fritzi Massary (1882-1969), the Theater
read more
Paul Lincke’s “Frau Luna” – A Radio Recording from Cologne on CPO
There is no real shortage of Frau Luna recordings, the Paul Lincke classic from 1899 has always worked well as
read more
Gilbert & Sullivan: Is Sexual Innuendo Imbedded in “HMS Pinafore”?
It is an accepted notion that Gilbert and Sullivan were careful to exclude anything in their comic operas that could
read more
Alyce Mott Brings Herbert’s “The Red Mill” Back to New York City
This is VHRP Artistic Director Alyce Mott’s fourth go-round with Victor Herbert’s popular musical comedy – originally a vehicle for
read more
“Czech Operetta and Its Transnational Context”: A Conference in Prague
In March 2023 there’s a three-day conference in Prague devoted to the question of “Czech Operetta and Its Transnational Context”.
read more
The Battle of the Divas – Desirée Nick, Stefanie Dietrich & Christoph Marti
There are no real operetta divas around anymore. Or are there? It seems that nowadays most sopranos singing the once-famous
read more
Aus Perspektive eines Operettennostalgikers: „Rebecca“ und „Glöckner“ in Wien
Operettenfreunde in Österreich haben derzeit einen schweren Stand. Im sogenannten „Mekka der Operette“ in Mörbisch wird, seit Altbeau Alfons Haider
read more
Zwei Offenbach-Premieren in Wien: “Orpheus in der Unterwelt” und “La Périchole”
Wien war einst Jacques Offenbachs „zweites Paris“. 89 seiner Werke wurden hier aufgeführt, einige davon sogar uraufgeführt. Diese Tradition (ja
read more
“Das ist die Berliner Luft”: Paul Lincke Overtures Volume 1
This newly issued 2020 recording from CPO has rarely been out of my CD player since it arrived: it is
read more
Daniela Ziegler as the Grand Duchess of Gerolstein – and Other Offenbach Treats
The good news is: Daniela Ziegler finally gets to perform Offenbach and star in an operetta. At the Ernst Deutsch
read more