MILF Scene of the Year: A New “Nacht in Venedig” From Mörbisch
There is no shortage of Eine Nacht in Venedig recordings. Some of them are all-time classics, such as the Elisabeth
read moreOn the Record
A Double-Disc Of Herbert’s “Dream City And The Magic Knight”
Victor Herbert is best known today for half a dozen elaborately musical operettas composed in the first decade and a
read more
“The Golden Apple”: A Holy Grail For Musical Theatre Buffs
Applause now, please, for PS Classics and Lyric Stage of Irving, Texas, whose combined resources bring us the first complete
read more
German Cast Recordings Of “West Side Story”
Today, the Opera Leipzig will present a new production of West Side Story. Not at the Musikalische Komödie, but in
read more
Forbidden But Not Forgotten: “Entartete Operette” In Historic Recordings
The label Intense Media has issued a 10 CD box with so called “Degenerate Music,” i.e. music and recordings by
read more
Cole Porter In Hollywood: Or What We Can Learn From John Wilson
Yes, Mr. John Wilson and his orchestra are at it again. After they presented Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate at
read more
Josh Groban Sets An Example With “Stages”
Here it is: a album of Josh Groban singing musical comedy. The American pop tenor has squeezed 15 famous (and
read more
The Hungarian Connection: Reclaiming The Repertoire
Vienna and Budapest: those are two important fixtures in the operetta universe. And two highly profitable marketing terms. There are
read more
“Sluts” Are Great Singers Too: The Return Of Operetta-Diva Julia Migenes
If you live in Germany and are interested in classical music, you probably know the broschure concerti. They have a
read more
Willem Mengelberg Conducts Operetta
True, most people will not think of Willem Mengelberg as an operetta conductor. Instead, he became internationally famous for his
read more
Frida Weber-Flessburg: A Voice Survives Auschwitz
No, Frida Weber-Flessburg (1890-1943) is not one of those fabled operetta divas whose career the Nazis destroyed, but whose memory
read more
Discovering The Joys Of The Orient
I have never seen Kismet, the 1953 musical, although like everyone else of a certain age, I know some of
read more
“Madame Pompadour” From London’s West End
Thank God for the internet. Especially, if you’re interested in historical operetta recordings. The website Norbeck, Peters & Ford offers
read more
Is There An Ideal “La Belle Hélène” Recording – With Sex Appeal?
In early 2015, the Komische Oper presented their very first Operetta Symposium, dealing with the “kinky” side of the genre
read more
“The Auto Race” And Other Tuned-Up Operettas From Early Broadway Days
If you wish to experience operetta off the beaten track, then look no further than this brand new CD with
read more
Happy New Year: Josef Strauss Meets Offenbach For A Quadrille Ride
If you know your operetta history, you will be aware of the fact that Johann Strauss Jr. was the most
read more
A New German “Fiddler On The Roof” On CD
This past summer of 2014, Austria’s Mörbisch Lake Festival departed somewhat from its traditional programming of German operetta to present
read more
Offenbach’s Bavarian Romp “Fantasio” – Finally On Disc And Complete
Offenbach aficionados may rejoice. Here is the first complete recording of his opéra comique in 3 acts, 4 tableaux, Fantasio.
read more
What Can You Expect From Nikolaus Harnoncourt Conducting Johann Strauss Jr.?
Yes, we all know that conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt is one of the pioneers of the Early Music Movement. Together with
read more
“Gasparone”: Wenn nur die Plattenfirma großes Lob verdient
Das CD-Label cpo und sein Executive Producer Burkhard Schmilgun haben eine neue Aufnahme von Carl Millöckers zweiter Erfolgsoperette Gasparone vorgelegt
read more
Operetta Goddess of the Future: Lady Gaga
You have to hand it to the Americans. They certainly know how to make their classics sound fresh and funky,
read more
Deep Throat: Jonas Kaufmann Sings 1920s Operetta
When a PR-savvy superstar of the Jonas Kaufmann caliber issues a “cross-over“ album filled with operetta goodies, people take notice.
read more
“In Holly-Holly-Hollywood”: Zarah Leander in “Axel an der Himmeltür” 1936 and 1958
It might come as a bit of a surprise to operetta fans of today to find a so-called “Viennese Operetta”,
read more
The Cologne Collection: The Old EMI-Series Re-Released
It is often hugely fascinating to see how and where classic operetta recordings get recycled. Take for example the EMI
read more
Going Up? The Music of Louis Hirsch
Never heard of Louis Hirsch (1881–1924) and his Broadway operettas? Well, we can change that easily. Because our friends at
read more
Ivor Novello’s “Valley of Song” on CD
After a sell-out show in January 2014 by Tarquin Productions, the WestEnders are delighted to announce the launch of the original
read more
Piotr Beczala’s Tribute CD to Richard Tauber
There are two truly stunning moments on this new disc by tenor Piotr Beczala devoted to Richard Tauber. And not
read more
One Touch of Venus: A Broadway Operetta
Yes, I know. Kurt Weill’s One Touch of Venus is generally considered a classic Broadway musical. And rightly so. Still,
read more
Cheyenne Jackson: A New Kind of Operetta Hero?
It doesn’t happy very often that a recording takes my breath away. But the new West Side Story from San Francisco—of
read more
Lohengrin Meets Lloyd Webber
First off: I actually like Klaus Florian Vogt. Hearting him as Lohengrin and Stolzing in Wagner’s operas is a unique
read more
“Madame Pompadour”: Battle of the Divas
Needless to say, casting Leo Fall’s Madame Pompadour is not an easy task. Because there’s the overwhelming shadow of Fritzi
read more
MENSCHENsKIND: The Songs of Friedrich Holländer
Needless to say, German operetta fans already know her: the actress Dagmar Manzel dazzled audiences at Berlin’s Deutsches Schauspielhaus years
read more
Rodgers & Hart’s ‘Native Operetta’: A New “Dearest Enemy” Cast Album
Aye, you might very well ask: why is a recording of Rodgers & Hart’s “American Musical Comedy” Dearest Enemy coming
read more
Maybe Art Imitates Arabs: “The Road to Qatar”
It all began with an email. “We want you write musical … how much?” Was my Spam blocker set on
read more
Burning to Sing: Gustave Kerker’s Operetta Rediscovered
It’s good to know that German operetta aficionados are busy rediscovering gems from the vaults of the genre’s history. And,
read more
Kálmán Gala from Dresden: Happy New Year
So here it is, the Emmerich Kálmán gala from Dresden’s Semperoper on CD. Christian Thielemann is conducting the forces of
read more