Kero Publishes His Memoirs In The Shadow Of #metoo
Theater memoirs are rarely published in Hungary, mostly because they are not being written. The entangled interpersonal relationships of artistic
read moreAll posts by kevin
My Corona Year 2020: Discovering Wolfgang Anheisser’s “Operetten Gala”
My first theatre visit of 2020 was an ominous forewarning of what was to come: On 2 January I saw
read more
RSC: Reconstructing Erik Charell’s Shakespeare Adaptation “Swingin’ the Dream”
When the Shakespeare adaptation Swingin‘ the Dream opened on Broadway in 1939 it followed Erik Charell’s earlier XXL-sized Broadway hit
read more
Deflowering Austria: The New Year’s Concert From Vienna Lets Suppé Sparkle
There’s something supremely uplifting about starting the new year with Franz von Suppé’s rousing Fatinitza march as played by the
read more
What Is The Best “Fledermaus” On Disc?
Ah yes, another Fledermaus recording. As if there aren’t enough already, right? Well, actually, this one from the NDR Radiophilharmonie
read more
March of the Falsettos: Streaming Sasha Regan’s “Pirates of Penzance” From The Palace Theatre
The gimmick with which the West End revival of Sasha Regan’s Pirates of Penzance at the Palace Theatre was recently
read more
A Revived Interest In “Heiteres Musiktheater der DDR”? It’s Not Just About Nostalgia
Recently, Wolfgang Jansen published a collection of essays dealing with “Popular Music Theater under Socialism,” an aspect of 20th century
read more
Dumbing Down Operetta: Thomas Macho’s New Lehár Movie On Arte
Obviously, there are many ways to present history, including musical history. At the moment, you can watch the amazing Viola
read more
COX AND BOX, or The Long Lost Brothers: Musical Triumviretta In 1 Act With Music By Arthur Sullivan
This Musical triumviretta in 1 act was adapted from J Maddison Morton’s farce Box and Cox by F C Burnand,
read more
“Cox & Box – The Film”: A Christmas Special From The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players
I’m an old conservative. I was ‘a little con-ser-va-tive’ (as opposed to a ‘little li-ber-al’) from the moment I was
read more
“Barbarella” Meets “Vetter aus Dingsda” At Gärtnerplatztheater Munich
One of the things that irritates me about Richard Traubner’s book Operetta: A Theatrical History is the way he dismisses
read more
Too Many New Covid-19 Infections: Komische Oper Berlin Cancels Its “Blume von Hawaii” Live Stream
After rumors had already started circulating, it’s now official: Komische Oper Berlin has cancelled its live stream of Paul Abraham’s
read more
“Gypsy” Xmas Stripper Shtick Reduxed
Gypsy Rose Lee has climbed the laddered stocking of the stripper world, tassel by tassel, and mounted a new summit
read more
Like Emma Kirkby Singing Wagner: “The Art Of Operetta” As A “Gramophone” December Special
“The Art of Operetta“ is the headline on the cover of the December issue of Gramophone magazine from the UK.
read more
Wolfgang Jansen’s New Book About Musicals Vs. Operetta: An Interview With The Author
Wolfgang Jansen has published many books: on the history of revues and revue operettas in the Weimar Republic, on Broadway
read more
Gorki Theater Streams “Alles Schwindel” With English Subtitles For Christmas
When I saw the news today that Gorki Theater Berlin will stream one of the greatest operetta productions I have
read more
PASSIONNÉMENT! Comédie Musicale in 3 Acts with Music by André Messager
On 13 December, 2020, the Bavarian radio station BR-Klassik will broadcasts a live performance of André Messager‘s ‘comédie musicale’ Passionnément!
read more
New Art is True Art: Kurt Weill’s “One Touch of Venus”
When Staatsoperette Dresden presented Kurt Weill’s One Touch of Venus as part of their “Broadway in Dresden” series, in a
read more
“Popular Music Theatre Under Socialism”: Operettas & Musicals In The Eastern European States 1945-1990
Yesterday, a surprising book arrived on my desk: Popular Music Theatre Under Socialism. I guessed straight away that we weren’t
read more
Here Comes “Blume von Hawaii” As A Live Stream From Komische Oper Berlin
Yeehaw! Komische Oper Berlin has finally awoken from its Sleeping Beauty Corona mode; the company has decided to offer something
read more
World Premiere Recording Of Kálmán’s Symphonic Poems “Saturnalia” & “Endre és Johanna”
In 2013 and 2016 the University of British Columbia performed two of Emmerich Kálmán’s early symphonic poems, Saturnalia and Endre
read more
“Vetter aus Dingsda” Premieres Online From Gärtnerplatztheater Munich
Putting on Eduard Künneke’s 1920 hit Der Vetter aus Dingsda seemed like a good idea in times of Corona restrictions:
read more
A Christmas Marathon Of Operetta Streams: From “Frau Luna” To “Cinderella” And Offenbach
It seems that the operetta scene is finally awaking to the possibilities of the internet as a chance to overcome
read more
George London On Broadway – But Without His Partner Mario Lanza
And now, I would like to talk to you about George London. Yes, I am aware that he didn’t sing
read more
“Sehnsucht 202” On DVD: A Very Queer Version Of Vienna With Fritz Schulz & Paul Kemp
The Austrian newspaper Der Standard has added a forgotten film operetta to their DVD series “Der österreichische Film”, a movie
read more
Why oh why oh why oh! Burleycue in Ohio: “The Bandbox Revue” Of 1922
This picture looked to me like a rather nice American girlie entertainment from the Twenties. Wonder what it is, thought
read more
A Naughty Gaiety Girl …
When you ‘live’ in a certain ‘world’ – in my case, that of the 19th century musical theatre – you
read more
The Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live! Presents “Heart O’Mine” Online
Over the last several months, the beloved New York institution dedicated to all things Victor Herbert, has been streaming video
read more
When Theaters Stay Closed, Operettas Go Online – Not Just In Budapest
The 2nd wave Corona lockdown has made operetta performances virtually impossible in many countries, and it looks like it might
read more
Jaromir Weinberger’s Last Weimar Operetta “Frühlingsstürme” On DVD
You might be as baffled by this new release as I am: the recent production of Jaromir Weinberger’s “last Weimar
read more
Georges Prêtre Conducts Two Outstanding Offenbachs In His Final La Scala Concert
Conductor Georges Prêtre is generally considered one of the best interpreters of French music, and the list of famous recordings
read more
Waiting For Offenbach In Times Of A New Corona Lockdown: So What Happens Now?
You could say it’s a bitter irony: ever since theaters in Germany re-opened after the summer, Barrie Kosky has said
read more
David Monod’s “Vaudeville & The Making Of Modern Entertainment” 1890-1925
David Monod, professor of American social and cultural history, has undertaken a massive challenge in presenting a history of American
read more
Ivan Caryll & The Heyday Of The Gaiety Musical Comedy
Ivan Caryll was the principal composer and conductor for the heyday of the Gaiety musical comedy who encouraged the development
read more
“My Song For You”: A Marta Eggerth & Jan Kiepura Exhibition In Vienna
Devotees of classic Hollywood musicals – the sort that are the staple of Turner Classic Movies – will know Hungarian
read more
CHIN-CHIN, Or A Modern Aladdin Musical Fantasy (1914) With Music By Ivan Caryll
An updated version of the Aladdin story, rewritten to feature the comedians Dave Montgomery and Fred Stone, Chin-Chin cast its
read more