Hatice Point The Way: Black- And Yellow-Face in Operetta
Most people would probably agree: operetta is all about performance. And, more to the point, about turning realities upside down
read moreAll posts by kevin
A Black “Merry Widow of Malagawi”: Re-Imagining A Classic
Another Merry Widow? Yeah, we hear you. (And you’re right.) It’s probably the most over-produced operetta in operetta history, together
read more
Walter Felsenstein Revisited: A New Biography
Stage director Walter Felsenstein (1901-1975) is famous for various things: he founded the Komische Oper in East Berlin after WW2
read more
A Double-Disc Of Herbert’s “Dream City And The Magic Knight”
Victor Herbert is best known today for half a dozen elaborately musical operettas composed in the first decade and a
read more
A New Musical Director For Leipzig: Stefan Klingele
There’s movement and an overdue sense of innovation at the Musikalische Komödie in Leipzig: the second remaining operetta theater left
read more
“Don’t Be A Music Snob About Operettas”: Advise From Gardening Guru Alan Titchmarsh
If you’re British, you undoubtedly will have heard of Alan Titchmarsh, the man who went from gardener to Classical FM
read more
“I Want To Be A Primadonna”: Christoph Marti Turns 50 Today
It’s a ultra-pink birthday today, and a reason for the operetta world to celebrate one of its greatest divas of
read more
A New “Duchess of Chicago” From Ohio Light Opera
As everyone knows, the Ohio Light Opera is one of the prime performance venues for lesser known works of Emmerich
read more
“Frühjahrsparade”: The Robert Stolz Operetta At Wilfersdorf Castle
Robert Stolz was a superb operetta conductor, as is documented by many recordings made in the famous Rudolf Schock/Margit Schramm
read more
The “Csardasfürstin” From Budapest
It’s holiday time, obviously. So unless you’re on your way to some summer festival, chances that you’ll catch a regular
read more
“Orphee Aux Enfers” At Iford Festival: An Enjoyable Romp
The UK based company Opera della Luna has just presented their version of Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld at the
read more
Arthur Schnitzler And His Operettas
Playwrite and author Arthur Schnitzler had a special relationship with music, not least, because many of his famous texts were
read more
Heiteres Musiktheater schwelgt in Nostalgie: “In Frisco ist der Teufel los”
In Frisco ist der Teufel los war einer der größten Erfolge des „musikalischen Unterhaltungstheaters“ der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik – „Heiteres
read more
Patrick Lindner Sings Operetta, Or: A Deliciously Gay “Im Weissen Rössl”
You didn’t seriously think we’d leave this one out, did you? The Rüdersdorfer Sommeroperette is presenting the White Horse Inn
read more
“La Vie Parisienne” in Tilburg at MIDI
This week-end, Dutch operetta fans can see a brand new student production of La Vie Parisienne at the Fontys Conservatory.
read more
Gay Pride Season 2015 or: Uniformed Men On The Operetta Stage
There is a special connection between police forces – and operetta! Whether it is Offenbach’s Les Brigands or Genevieve de
read more
Puccini’s Operetta “La Rondine” At The Deutsche Oper Berlin
When I was very young, I had a book called something like The Operas of Puccini. I can’t remember –
read more
Offenbach’s sexy medieval spoof “Geneviève de Brabant”
Of the great opéras-bouffes of Offenbach’s early years, the one which has suffered the most inexplicable eclipse in the 20th
read more
Frédéric Barbier’s “La Baronne de Haut-Castel” In Halle
In Halle you can see the first German production Frédéric Barbier’s operetta Die kleine Baronesse (La Baronne de Haut-Castel) on
read more
Zwischen den Zeilen und Zeiten: Das Ur-Publikum und der Reiz der Ur-Operette
Vielleicht ist es Ihnen ja auch schon mal so gegangen: Bei der Lektüre von Texten zur Ur-Operette – also der
read more
“The Golden Apple”: A Holy Grail For Musical Theatre Buffs
Applause now, please, for PS Classics and Lyric Stage of Irving, Texas, whose combined resources bring us the first complete
read more
“In Frisco ist der Teufel los”: Two Concert Performances In Leipzig
It’s a topic that’s in the air right now, at least in Germany: remembering the situation in former East Germany
read more
German Cast Recordings Of “West Side Story”
Today, the Opera Leipzig will present a new production of West Side Story. Not at the Musikalische Komödie, but in
read more
Rare First Editions of Offenbach & Co.
Getting hold of scores – for operettas – has always been a challenge. Admittedly, the situation has become a lot
read more
The “Europäische Stiftung Operette” Is Back With A Vengeance
The headline in the email to the local press certainly caught our attention: “Europäische Stiftung Operette (ESO) präsentiert Berliner Operette
read more
The “Sommer Arena” Is About To Open
It’s summertime, and of course that means that the out-door operetta season is taking off in Europe. One of the
read more
Forbidden But Not Forgotten: “Entartete Operette” In Historic Recordings
The label Intense Media has issued a 10 CD box with so called “Degenerate Music,” i.e. music and recordings by
read more
Ethan Mordden’s New American Operetta History
Anyone who has walked into a bookshop in the USA recently will have noticed that Ethan Mordden’s attractively packaged Anything
read more
Golden Schikaneder Statues: The Third Annual Austrian Music Awards
Obviously, the whole world watches the Tony Awards and what’s happening on Broadway – which excludes operetta. (Even if The
read more
Concerts at the Musikalische Komödie: “In Frisco ist der Teufel los”
As a grand finale to the festival week 1000 Years Leipzig and the local street festival, the soloist, ballet and
read more
Uncool (And Proudly So): Mel Atkey’s “Breaking Into Song”
Mel Atkey’s new book Breaking Into Song has arrived: a collection of articles, essays and interviews from the past 35
read more
“Girls With No Clothes To Speak Of”: Broadway-Operetta Then And Now
There is a renewed interest in operetta internationally, not just the French and Austrian variety of the genre, but also
read more
A New Tap-Dancing Musical About James Cagney
An unlikely subject for a musical perhaps – though, of course, he starred in several – Hollywood tough guy James
read more
What Is Johann Strauss Doing In The Exhibition “Homosexualität_en”?
To say that I was surprised would be putting it mildly. Here I was, at the opening of the grand
read more
Cole Porter In Hollywood: Or What We Can Learn From John Wilson
Yes, Mr. John Wilson and his orchestra are at it again. After they presented Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate at
read more
Lost “My Fair Lady” Songs Rediscovered And Performed
Obviously, My Fair Lady is one of the greatest “modern” operettas ever. Almost everyone knows the score and the hit
read more