Vanessa Williams and Julian Ovenden Star In New York’s New “Show Boat”
In November, the New York Philharmonic will present a semi-staged concert version of Show Boat: one of the classic shows
read moreAll posts by kevin
Broadway Meets Operetta: Susan Stroman Directs “Merry Widow”
You can certainly call this operetta debut ‘special’: stage director Susan Stroman (The Producers, The Scottsboro Boys) will direct a
read more
SHOW BOAT: Musical Play in 2 Acts
One of the most successful romantic musical plays of the 1920s, Show Boat (Ziegfeld Theater, New York, 27 December 1927)
read more
Seeing “Spring Awakening” In New Zealand – For The First Time
Frank Wedekind’s Frühlingserwachen (1891) is a ‘famous’ play. ‘Famous’ in a Lady Chatterley’s Lover way. There’s nothing like some healthy
read more
The Victor Herbert Renaissance Project LIVE!
The title alone is worth a headline: “Victor Herbert Renaissance Project LIVE!” It is the world’s only production company uniquely
read more
Josefine GALLMEYER (b Leipzig, 27 February 1838; d Vienna, 2 February 1884)
‘Die fesche Pepi’ – ‘Jolly Josie’ – was one of the most popular and famous stars of the Viennese musical
read more
Marie GEISTINGER (b Graz, 26 July 1836; d Klagenfurt, 30 September 1903)
Born in Graz to theatrical parents, Geistinger first went on the stage as a child and had an early exposure
read more
Paul Abraham: An Interview with His First Biographer
The German journalist Klaus Waller has written a 240 pages biography of Paul Abraham: Der tragische König der Operette. It
read more
“Der Zarewitsch und der Tänzer”: How Gay Is Lehár’s Operetta?
„Warum mag er die Frauen nicht?“ Diese Frage stellen sich nicht nur die Damen der Aristokratie, die in der Theaterpause
read more
Here Come The Lunatics: Jeff Clarke Talks About Operetta In The UK
Opera in the UK doesn’t only happen in big London theatres with rob-the-bank ticket prices. All over the country there
read more
“Gasparone”: Wenn nur die Plattenfirma großes Lob verdient
Das CD-Label cpo und sein Executive Producer Burkhard Schmilgun haben eine neue Aufnahme von Carl Millöckers zweiter Erfolgsoperette Gasparone vorgelegt
read more
Behind the Lines: Wolfgang Dosch Sings Songs From WW1
Wolfgang Dosch is not just a great operetta teacher at the conservatory in Vienna, he is also an assured singer
read more
“On the Town”: Leonard Bernstein’s Classic A Must-See On Broadway
In December 1944, composer Leonard Bernstein, choreographer Jerome Robbins, and librettists Betty Comden and Adolph Green all made their Broadway
read more
The “White Horse Inn” of Saxony
Yes, there is going to be another one: The Musikalische Komödie will present the Ralph Benatzky/Erik Charell “Singspiel” Im weißen
read more
Two New Ábrahám Biographies
You could call it the battle of the biographers. Who will be first? Who will be better? Who will have
read more
Who Will Be The Savior of Operetta in the 21st Century: Volker Klotz Or Barrie Kosky?
This week-end, a new production of Offenbach’s La belle Hélène premieres at the Komische Oper Berlin. Its director, Barrie Kosky,
read more
Behind the Candelabra: A New “Zarewitsch” in Dresden
This week-end, the Staatsoperette Dresden will present a new staging of Lehár’s notoriously homoerotic Der Zarewitsch where the tenor turns
read more
An Academic Symposium on “White Horse Inn” in 2015
Hold your breath: There’s going to be an „interdisciplinary symposium“ on White Horse Inn, examining „new cultural-historical perspectives 1930-2015.“ When?
read more
BBC2: A Two-Hour Tribute to Ivor Novello
„Friday Night is Music Night“: that’s the slogan of the BBC2 concert radio series. Last Friday’s concert was devoted to
read more
Operetta Goddess of the Future: Lady Gaga
You have to hand it to the Americans. They certainly know how to make their classics sound fresh and funky,
read more
A Star Is Born: Johannes Dunz
Because of illness, the Komische Oper Berlin had to re-cast its production of Nico Dostal’s Clivia. The original star, Tobias
read more
Hamburg’s “Belle Hélène” To Be Realeased On DVD?
Here it is, a first look at the new La belle Hélène in Hamburg. The large-scale production by Renaud Doucet
read more
“Unbemannt im Weltall”: Ass-Dur Back in Berlin
In case you missed it during the last week, the topic of “boylesque” is not off the menu here. On
read more
Galgenhumor: An Interview About Nostalgia & World War 1
Two researchers from the Austrian Cabaret Archive (ÖKA), Iris Fink and Hans Veigl, have just published a 275 page book
read more
A Definitive Richard Tauber Biography?
You could have been fooled into thinking there cannot possibly be anything new to say on the topic of Richard
read more
Staatsoperette Dresden: Ready To Move Downtown
Finally, there are images of the new Staatsoperette Dresden. It will be situated in Kraftwerk Mitte. And for the first
read more
Double-Whopper: “La belle Hélène” in Hamburg and Berlin
It is somewhat astonishing that all of a sudden Offenbach’s La belle Hélène is returning to the stages of Northern
read more
A Pure Joy: “Die Fledermaus” As A Ballet From La Scala
It certainly is a little unusual: a ballet version by Roland Petit of the Johann Strauss classic Die Fledermaus. Filmed
read more
A Vienna Heart in the Star-Spangled Banner: Bruno Granichstaedten
The Austrian music historian, film director and author Ernst Kaufmann has written a biography of his uncle – composer Bruno
read more
Opening of the Season in Leipzig – With “In Frisco ist der Teufel los”
Did you know that the word „zapping“ comes from Wild West times and originally meant shooting down your opponent? Today,
read more
Operetta After 1933: An Exhibition at the Brucknerfest Linz
During the Brucknerfest in Linz, Austria, a new exhibition will open at the Tabakfabrik on September 9. Its title: Operette
read more
“The Desert Song”: A Glorious Technicolor Version on DVD for the First Time
Sigmund Romberg’s North Africa spectacle The Desert Song “is arguably the best of the group of romantic operettas that found
read more
Zulma Bouffar: The “Other” Prima Donna of the Offenbach-Age
Zulma Bouffar (b Nérac, 24 May 1841) made her first appearance on the stage at the age of six, at
read more
Deep Throat: Jonas Kaufmann Sings 1920s Operetta
When a PR-savvy superstar of the Jonas Kaufmann caliber issues a “cross-over“ album filled with operetta goodies, people take notice.
read more
“In Holly-Holly-Hollywood”: Zarah Leander in “Axel an der Himmeltür” 1936 and 1958
It might come as a bit of a surprise to operetta fans of today to find a so-called “Viennese Operetta”,
read more
Richard Tauber: An Evening for “The King of Berlin”
The Stadtmuseum in Berlin has a special treat in store: on September 10, at 9 pm, they will present an
read more