Lily Elsie (1886-1962): Becoming “The Most Photographed Woman In The World”
A child of mysterious origins (she was rumoured, when fame came, to have been the illegitimate daughter of an aristocrat
read moreAll posts by kevin
Broadway Producer Henry W. Savage (1859-1927): “Merry Widow” and “Sari” Were His Greatest Hits
Harvard-educated Henry Wilson Savage was born in New Durham (New Hampshire) on 21 March 1859 and well established as a
read more
Ethel Jackson (1877-1957): Broadway’s First “Merry Widow”
A descendant of the painter Henry Inman, Miss Jackson was born in New York on 3 February 1877. She studied
read more
And Here’s Broadway’s First Danilo in “The Merry Widow”: Donald Brian (1877-1948)
Donald Brian was the bright-eyed and boyish star of more than 20 years of Broadway operettas and musicals, among them the
read more
The First English Language Danilo in “The Merry Widow”: US-Comedian Joseph Coyne (1867-1941)
Joseph Coyne was a light comedy actor-who-sings who moved from silly-ass rôles in his native America to stardom as Britain’s
read more
Marktplätze, Kampfzonen und Elysium: Zwei neue Bände zu „Musik und Gesellschaft“
Beim Verlag Königshausen & Neumann ist soeben in zwei Bänden Musik und Gesellschaft erschienen, mit den Schlagwörtern „Marktplätze – Kampfzonen
read more
The Planned Assassination Of Napoléon Bonaparte: “Viva Napoli” by Francis Lopez
Probably the best of the later, post Raymond Vincy, musical shows written by the already fading Francis Lopez, Viva Napoli
read more
Francis Lopez’ “Andalousie”: Tenor Bull Fighting In The South Of France
One of the most successful of the series of post-war musicals authored by Raymond Vincy (and, in this case, Albert
read more
Turning Point In French Musical Theatre: “La Belle de Cadix” By Francis Lopez
As much as one show can, La Belle de Cadix marked the same kind of a turning in the musical
read more
“Le Chanteur de Mexico”: An “Opérette à Grand Spectacle” By Francis Lopez
Le Chanteur de Mexico followed behind La Belle de Cadix and Andalousie in the continuing series of Raymond Vincy/Francis Lopez
read more
A Semi-Staged “Camelot” At The Watermill Theatre
In the United Kingdom restrictions on ‘live’ performance, owing to Covid-19, were lifted with regard to outdoor theatre at the
read more
Revisiting “Daniela Ziegler Sings Ralph Benatzky”
At the beginning of August 2020 Helga Benatzky died at the blessed age of 96: she had been in charge
read more
How Is Our “Woke-Ass Culture” Dealing With The Supposed Racism Of “Zigeunerbaron”?
There’s an increasingly firece discussion about supposed “racism” in operetta. Recently, a production of Franz Lehár’s Land des Lächelns at
read more
Cancel Culture Reaches “Land des Lächelns” At Manhattan School Of Music
Here’s the curious case of Dona D. Vaughn and the state of operetta in 2020. As artistic director of opera
read more
A New “Eine Nacht in Venedig” From Oper Graz On CPO
What grabbed my immediate attention with this new Eine Nacht in Venedig on cpo are the names on the cover:
read more
A New “Exilmuseum” In Berlin – Will It Include The Entertainment World?
It’s going to happen: Berlin will get an “Exilmuseum,” a museum dedicated to the stories of those who went into
read more
“The Merry Widow” À La “Mad Men” With Tony Award Winning Conductor Franz Allers & Lisa Della Casa
The aspect that initially drew my attention to this brand new re-release of The Merry Widow in “hi-fidelity stereo” was
read more
Post-Corona Operetta In Berlin. Or: Here’s Barrie Kosky’s Chancelled “Orpheus In The Underworld”
Has the long waiting finally come to an end, is post-Corona operetta back? After the somewhat problematic “Jewish and Gay”
read more
“Ghost Lights: Ivor Novello and His Leading Ladies“ – A Conversation With David Slattery-Christy About His New Play
Most operetta fans will know David Slattery-Christy as the biographer of Ivor Novello (1893-1951) and as a tireless champion of
read more
Offenbach’s “Mesdames de la Halle” At The Glyndebourne Festival
Since opera was first performed at the Glyndebourne country house in West Sussex in 1934, only one operetta has ever
read more
Oscar Straus’ Piano Concerto & Other Rare Orchestra Pieces
My first ‘live’ encounter with Oscar Straus was attending a wonderfully inspired production of his first operetta Die lustigen Nibelungen
read more
“Eubie Blake: Rags, Rhythm and Race” By Richard Carlin & Ken Bloom
Eubie Blake: Rags, Rhythm and Race arrives as a most welcome and long overdue biography of pianist and composer Eubie
read more
Daddy Issues At Ohio Light Opera: How Could “Constructive” Critcism Work With Lehár’s “Cloclo”?
The other day I had a long transatlantic phone conversation with an US-American operetta researcher I greatly admire for his
read more
Lehár’s “Cloclo” On DVD: A 2018 Live Performance From Ohio Light Opera
A performance of Lehár’s Clo-Clo from the Ohio Light Opera – filmed live at the theater in Wooster – has
read more
The World-Premiere Recording Of Walter Jurmann’s “Windy City” (1946)
Because of the required commitment of time, money, and dedication, it is a safe bet, with the exception of the
read more
The New Online “Musicallexikon”: An Interview with Michael Fischer & Wolfgang Jansen
The University of Freiburg is home of the “Center for Popular Culture and Music.” They recently started the first online
read more
Anchors Away: Franz von Suppé’s “Il Ritorno del Marinaio” On CPO
Anyone taking a close look at the oeuvre list of Franz von Suppé (1819-1895) in search for an opera entitled
read more
Watch Out For The Red Fingernails: Two New “Zigeunerbaron” Productions In Magdeburg And Berlin
How do you solve a problem like Zigeunerbaron? Some might ask: is there a problem with this 1885 show? Well,
read more
Focus On DDR Operetta: “Bretter, die die Welt bedeuten” At Musikalische Komödie Leipzig
Various opera houses in German speaking countries have presented new or adapted programs for their fall season, with productions they
read more
The First American Musical: “The Doctor of Alcantara” (1862)
Today I got asked, for the umpteenth time, ‘what was the first American musical?’ Well, all those three qualifications narrow
read more
New Online Encyclopedia On Popular Musical Theater In Germany From 1945 Until Today
More than 300 musicals have already been documented, many more will follow: the University of Freiburg’s Center for Popular Culture
read more
“Ball at the Savoy”: An “Alluring Hotch-Potch” At Drury Lane (1933)
It might be imagined by those who underrate the virility of convention that the good old-fashioned musical comedy would not
read more
Ábrahám’s “Ball at the Savoy” At Drury Lane In A 1933 Oscar Hammerstein Production
Paul Abraham’s Ball im Savoy opened at Berlin’s Großes Schauspielhaus in December 1932 with a superstar cast – and was
read more
From Pula to the World: Franz Lehár’s Early Career in Croatia
It’s Franz Lehár’s 150th birthday – and after the first round of publications to celebrate the event (click here for
read more
Paleophonics: A Journey To The Dawn Of Recorded Sound In Musical Comedy
If you are interested in what original audiences of early 20th century English operetta and musical comedy heard, there is
read more
Boys Will Be Boys, Or: “Die blaue Mazur” At Bühne Baden
Operetta “live” in Austria? Bühne Baden is one of the few places where you can actually experience the genre on
read more