“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 moreIn Print
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
Nils Grosch & Carolin Stahrenberg: “Im weißen Rössl. Kulturgeschichtliche Perspektiven”
Over the past twenty years, German-speaking operetta has been enjoying a revival, especially Berlin operettas of the Weimar Republic by
read more
Christian Walther: “Robert Gilbert. Eine zeitgeschichtliche Biografie”
The lyricists behind our classic pop songs are generally unknown or forgotten. Robert Gilbert (pseuydonym of Robert Winterfeld, 1899–1978) wrote
read more
“Jimmy Berg – Von der Ringstraße zur 72nd Street”: Chansons From Vienna And New York Exile
Authentic cabaret texts are hard to come by. This material was written for the day, not for posterity, and was
read more
Berlin’s Entertainment Industry In The 1920s As Seen By Willy Römer & On Sheet Music Covers
Tea might be the only simple pleasure left to us, as Oscar Wilde once remarked. But you need to be
read more
A Franz von Suppé Biography In French By José-Luis Munoz
Be careful what you wish for, says the old adage. You may get it … and in spades! Forty years
read more
“Offenbachiades” And Their Context: A New Study By Peter Hawig
Let’s start this review backwards, shall we? The last sentence in Peter Hawig’s new book for the Offenbach bicentenary is:
read more
“Jacques Offenbach – Meister des Vergnügens”: Ein Interview mit Heiko Schon
Große Ereignisse werfen ihre Schatten voraus, und so sind im Vorfeld des 200. Offenbach-Geburtstags 2019 mehrere neue Bücher auf den
read more
The Revolution Of 1918/1919 In Berlin: A New Exhibition Incorporates Entertainment Culture
There are many events and exhibitions, TV documentaries and newspaper articles in circulations right now in Germany, commemorating the end
read more
Operetta and Modernity: A New Book By Ethel Matala de Mazza
When I first heard of this book I got really excited: the famous S. Fischer publishing house would release a
read more
“La comédie musicale britannique XIXème et XXème siècle”: A New Collection Of Essays In English, French And German
Just out is a large-size almost catalogue-like publication in English, French and German in the Revue Musicorum series, no. 20/2018.
read more
Cross-Dressed Military Operetta In World War 1 And 2: An Exhibition In Meiningen And A New Book
Back in 2014, corresponding with the centenary of the outbreak of World War 1, the Schwules Museum in Berlin offered
read more
“Make Me Look Beautiful, Madame D’Ora!” Or: Revivisting Elsie Altmann And The Viennese Operetta Soubrette
Ah, yes: Madame D‘Ora! She’s been one of my great operetta heroines, ever since I first found her portrait of
read more
“Hervé par lui-même” Presented By Pascal Blanchet At Palazzetto Bru Zane
It has been a splendid winter. Three new musical-theatre works – one English, two French – have crossed my desk,
read more
A New Biography: “André Messager. Le passeur de siècle” By Christophe Mirambeau
The Musical Theatre book of the decade. I sha’n’t gush. Well, I’ll try not to. But … I thought that
read more
The Three Lives of Jetty Treffz, First Wife of Johann Strauss: A New Biography By Peter Sommeregger
Here it is, finally: a full biography of Jetty Treffz (1818-1878), first wife of Johann Strauss and responsible for bringing
read more
Jacques Offenbach and the Making of Modern Culture: An Interview with Prof. Laurence Senelick
At long last someone has written a brand new Offenbach book – in English. And what’s even better, it’s a
read more
A Critical Quotebook: Marion Linhardt’s “Stimmen zur Unterhaltung” Revisited
This is one of those publications that should have made a big splash – but didn’t. Back in 2009, Marion
read more
Barbara Denscher: Der Operettenlibrettist Victor Léon
Victor Léon (1858-1940) hat im Lauf seiner mehr als fünfzigjährigen Theater-Karriere über hundert Bühnenstücke geschrieben, knapp die Hälfte davon wird
read more
Richard Genée’s “Der Seekadett”: New Edition By Dario Salvi
New operas are hard to come by these days—at least that is what I have always been told. Finding an
read more
“Must Close Saturday”: The Decline and Fall of the British Musical Flop
When this heavy, 350 page book, closely but clearly typed and well-illustrated, arrived in the post I thought I would
read more
Barbara Denscher’s Victor Léon Biography & Matthias Kauffmann’s “Operette im Dritten Reich”
Has operetta research shifted gear? One could think so, considering that there are finally in-depth academic studies coming out that
read more
Racist Minstrel Magic? The Story of the George Mitchell Choirs
A seventy-one year old man, a little crippled these days, lying in the too-scorching sun by the Australian seaside, reading
read more
Oscar Straus: New Academic Essays On A Mostly Forgotten Composer
Oscar Straus (1870-1954) is one of the leading operetta composers of the first half of the 20th century whose greatest
read more
A New Monography On Offenbach’s “Orpheus in the Underworld”
For many operetta fans, Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underword is the masterpiece with which it all began, back in 1858.
read more
John Koegel: Music in German Immigrant Theater, New York City, 1840-1940
John Koegel reminds us, early on in this broadly conceived, superbly researched, and elegantly written study, that the population of
read more
A History Of Popular Musical Theater In Dresden, 1844 Until Today
The Staatsoperette Dresden has been – for many years – one of the few theaters in Germany, before and after
read more
Re-Visiting The Villas Of Bad Ischl: Marie-Theres Arnbom’s New Book
Anyone who is even remotely interested in the history of German language operetta knows that Bad Ischl – a kind
read more
A New Biogragphy Of Charles Amberg – Lyricist Of “Clivia”
Charles Amberg (1894-1946) is not exactly a household name today, and even dedicated operetta fans will be hard pressed to
read more