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 moreWhen Staatsoperette Dresden presented Kurt Weill’s One Touch of Venus as part of their “Broadway in Dresden” series, in a
read moreThis picture looked to me like a rather nice American girlie entertainment from the Twenties. Wonder what it is, thought
read moreDavid Monod, professor of American social and cultural history, has undertaken a massive challenge in presenting a history of American
read moreIvan Caryll was the principal composer and conductor for the heyday of the Gaiety musical comedy who encouraged the development
read moreAn updated version of the Aladdin story, rewritten to feature the comedians Dave Montgomery and Fred Stone, Chin-Chin cast its
read moreA burlesque of Longfellow’s poem of the same name, the extravaganza Evangeline followed the trials and tribulations of its heroine
read moreAfter beginning her singing career as a teenager in the chorus of a New York revue, Miss MacDonald (born in
read moreAfter an early career spent performing in cafés and suburban music halls, Maurice Chevalier (born in Ménilmontant on 12 September,
read moreHarvard-educated Henry Wilson Savage was born in New Durham (New Hampshire) on 21 March 1859 and well established as a
read moreA descendant of the painter Henry Inman, Miss Jackson was born in New York on 3 February 1877. She studied
read moreDonald Brian was the bright-eyed and boyish star of more than 20 years of Broadway operettas and musicals, among them the
read moreEubie Blake: Rags, Rhythm and Race arrives as a most welcome and long overdue biography of pianist and composer Eubie
read moreBecause of the required commitment of time, money, and dedication, it is a safe bet, with the exception of the
read moreToday I got asked, for the umpteenth time, ‘what was the first American musical?’ Well, all those three qualifications narrow
read moreWill Marion Cook was born inWashington, DC, on 27 January, 1869. The son of a well-off and well-educated family, Cook
read moreIn Dahomey was an early American “Negro musical comedy” (in a prologue and 2 acts), one of the first to be
read moreWith all this free time at home right now I’ve started working my way through various DVD boxes I’ve had
read moreThe team responsible for that overwhelming hit of 1926, The Desert Song, mined a similar vein for their next collaboration,
read moreThe small theater in Zwickau-Plauen (Germany) presented Victor Herbert’s much-loved Babes in Toyland as their Christmas spectacle and gave the
read moreHow many female operetta composers can you name? Here is one who was also a baroness, no less. Her operetta
read moreImagine a world that persistently rewards the rich and powerful while immiserating the masses. Imagine an international paternalist cartel that
read moreThe overwhelming and instant success of Erik Charell’s operetta spectacle Im weißen Rössl at Berlin’s Großes Schauspielhaus (the so-called “Theater
read moreTheatrical mythology has been curiously and undeservedly kind to some folk. Miss Tucker from Ohio went from failure to failure
read moreA fortunate series of simultaneous anniversaries—the 300th of the founding of New Orleans, the 75th of the New Orleans Opera,
read moreAlthough they worked together as a trio on only five shows over seven years, the influence of “Bolton, Wodehouse, and
read moreVictor Herbert (b Dublin, 1 February 1859; d New York, 24 May 1924). The grandson of Samuel Lover, the novelist,
read moreCommissioned by producers Julian Mitchell and Fred Hamlin to follow up their 1902 success with the fairytale spectacular The Wizard
read moreAmerica’s popular music tradition is often referred to as the “Great American Songbook,” a national heritage. A focus on its
read moreVictor Hollaender described his first American sojourn and the German-American scene of Milwaukee in his memoirs, which were published in
read moreOften, in earlier times, quoted as “the first landmark in the history of the American musical theatre”, the 1866 extravaganza
read moreIn 2016, The Black Crook celebrates its 150th anniversary, marking 150 years of the American Musical. To commemorate the sesquicentennial,
read moreAdolf Philipp (b Lübeck, 29 January 1864; d New York, 30 July 1936) was the eclectic leading light of the
read moreWhy is the upcoming revival of Shuffle Along, or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That
read moreWho were the truly instrumental people who caused America to develop the largest and most influential entertainment industry in the
read moreWhen the ambitious young soprano of the famed Bostonians company, Alice Nielsen, decided to break away from the group and
read moreThis week-end, the Budapest Operetta Theatre is hosting a conference on Die Csardasfürstin, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of that
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