Fancy A Slice Of Gänzl? “Gilbert & Sullivan: The Players And The Plays”
I’m the oldest standing member of the Operetta Research Center. I was one of the fairies who presided at its
read moreIn Print
Paul O’Montis: Biography Of A “Vortragskünstler” Adored By Elderly Ladies & Young Gentlemen
Most operetta fans will know Paul O’Montis because he made a famous recording of “Was kann der Sigismund dafür, dass
read more
“I Would Like To See More Women Writing About Operetta”: Micaela Baranello Discusses Her Book “The Operetta Empire”
The US-American musicologist Micaela Baranello joined the Department of Music at the University of Arkansas in 2017 and has recently
read more
“The Operetta Empire”: A New Book By Micaela Baranello
Rejoice greatly! There’s another big English language book on operetta, following last year’s Cambridge Companion to Operetta. This new publication
read more
La Belle Hélène lernt Italienisch: Studie zur Rezeption französischer Operetten in Italien 1860-90
Die Operette ist in noch stärkerem Maße als die Oper ein internationales Phänomen. Die Bühnenwerke von Jacques Offenbach werden ebenso
read more
Kero Publishes His Memoires 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 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
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
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
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
“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
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
“Cheer Up! British Musical Films 1929-1945” By Adrian Wright
In a preface to Cheer Up! British Musical Films 1929-1945, author Adrian Wright tells us that British Film Studios made
read more
Hot Mikados and Swingin’ Pinafores: Stewart F. Lane’s “Black Broadway”
It’s not a new topic, but a brand new book nonetheless: Black Broadway by Stewart F. Lane. According to the
read more
“Kunst der Oberfläche. Operette zwischen Bravour und Banalität”
Unter ihrem Intendanten Barrie Kosky hat die Komische Oper Berlin seit 2012 einen eigenen, unverwechselbaren Operettenstil gefunden: sehr bunt und
read more
The First Oscar Hammerstein and New York’s Golden Age of Theater and Music
With such an irresistible title as this, anyone with an interest in early American musical theater would want to read this newly
read more
Embarrassment of Riches? A New Franz Lehár Reader At Böhlau Publishing
The only way I can describe my reaction to this attractively packaged new Franz Lehár reader, published to coincide with
read more
Reading “The Cambridge Companion To Operetta” In Times Of Self-Isolation
The paperback edition of this fascinating, useful and, on the whole, well researched book sells for about 20 Euros on
read more
Catch Him If You Can? A New Biography Of Willi Kollo (1904-1988) Discussing His Nazi History
You could be surprised: here’s a brand new Willi Kollo (1904-1988) biography, and the only picture you’ll find anywhere in
read more
Celebrating Franz Lehár’s 150th Birthday With New Books At Böhlau
It’s Franz Lehár’s 150th birthday coming up in April, and various authors and publishing houses are getting ready to celebrate
read more
Wolfgang Jansen’s New Biography Of Willi Kollo (1904-1988): How Much Nazi History Will He Adress?
It took Berlin based musical theater researcher Wolfgang Jansen a while, and it took the various legal departments even more
read more
Anton Henseler’s “Jacques Offenbach” (1930) In A First-Ever English Translation
The Offenbach bicentenary might be over – but there are still fascinating things coming out to celebrate the composer. One
read more
Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy: The Glory of Hollywood Operetta in Jeanine Basinger’s “The Movie Musical”
One of the more joyous things about recent new studies on musicals is the fact that they include operettas, without
read more
Fritz & Alfred Rotter: A Life Between Theatrical Glamour And Death In Exile
The Rotter brothers, Fritz and Alfred, were the most prominent private theater directors during the Weimar Republic before losing everything
read more
“The Cambridge Companion to Operetta”: Taking A New Look At The Genre In English
It was about bloody time, you might say, that someone published a new English language reference book on the history
read more
New Books Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Offenbach’s Birth
No one can really claim that there is not an abundance of exciting Offenbach literature that has been published since
read more
“Casta Diva”: The World’s First Gay Opera Guide With Two Operettas And Some Hidden Porn
So here it is, the world’s “first gay opera guide,” or so the publisher claims. It’s a small Berlin based
read more
“Mr. Offenbach Writes To Us”: Letters To Le Figaro And Other Texts
In their September newsletter, The Jacques Offenbach Society alerts its readers to a new book edited by Jean-Claude Yon. It’s
read more
Red Stars: A Study And Exhibition About Socialist Showbiz In Hungary
Operetta appears more and more frequently in scientific discourse, but what about revues and variety shows? It’s a new field
read more
German Operetta On Broadway And In The West End: 1900 To 1940
Considering that there are not that many new books on operetta in English, one must greet Derek B. Scott’s fresh-off-the-press
read more
“Maestro Offenbach – au grand galop!” A Farewell Book For Albert Gier
Prof. Albert Gier is one of the most famous researchers of musical theater text books. He taught at the University
read more
Diversity Of Questions & Multiplicity Of Approaches: Kaspar Maase’s “Einführung in die Populärkulturforschung”
How do you solve a problem like – operetta? The question has been asked many times over, especially since so
read more
“…was verloren ging”: A New Book About Operetta Before & After 1933
Im Jahr 2005 profilierte sich die Staatsoperette Dresden mit einer überregional vielbeachteten Konferenz, die den Titel Operette unterm Hakenkreuz trug.
read more
Offenbach’s “La Créole” And The Exhibition “Le Modèle Noir” At The Orsay Museum In Paris
It is one of the more amazing developments of recent years that suddenly “entertainment” is included in major exhibitions dealing
read more
“Camp: Notes On Operetta.” Or: Getting Back To The “Filthy” Side Of The Genre?
“More than any other art form, fashion most fully embraces and expresses camp’s exuberant aesthetic, excelling in its ability to
read more