Berliner Ensemble: “Dreigroschenoper” As Cellblock Tango Without Fosse
It’s not unusual for Barrie Kosky to stage something outside of Komische Oper, but usually he doesn’t do it in
read moreNew articles & reviews
Live In Buxton: The 27th International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival
The 27th International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival takes place at Buxton every year, before moving on to Harrogate. International even
read more
“Magna Mater”: Operetta As a Dionysian Festival That Points To The Future
It’s impossible to just write a review about the artistic merits (or non-merits) of the new tutti d*amore production that’s
read more
The Birth Of Operetta From A Gigantic Vagina: Dutch National Opera Academy Presents “Fledermaus”
Last week the Dutch National Opera Academy and Residentie Orkest presented Die Fledermaus in the Compagnietheater for four sold out
read more
Bare-Butted Dancers In A Screw-It-Together IKEA Box: “Pariser Leben” in Neustrelitz
The new intendant of the “Festspiele im Schlossgarten” in Neustrelitz – one and a half hours north of Berlin –
read more
“Sissi, Queen of Hungary”: Huszka’s Operetta Turned Into A “National Heritage” Production
The Hungarian “Monarchia Operett” (Monarchy Operetta Company [1]), under the artistic direction of dance comedian and costume designer Péter Erik
read more
Reizvolle Ausgrabung: Benatzkys “Zur gold’nen Liebe” auf der Bühne Burgäschi
Die in der Schweiz glücklicherweise immer noch zahlreichen Amateur-Theatertrupen leisten gerade bei der Operettenpflege Beachtliches. Die „Bühne Burgäschi“ hatte zuletzt
read more
A Murderous Musical Mystery Tour: “Express G & S” In London
Express G&S was conceived during lockdown, and is the well nigh perfect post-lockdown entertainment, especially for Gilbert & Sullivan aficionados,
read more
„Eine Stimme für Deutschland“: Grüne Fotze vs. genderfluide AfD-Kandidatin
Politiksatiren können ganz wunderbar als Musical oder Operette funktionieren, wie nicht nur Jacques Offenbach im 19. Jahrhundert immer wieder gezeigt
read more
What’s The Use Of Rethinking “Der Zigeunerbaron” When Stefan Soltesz Delivers A Retro-Reading?
With a delay of almost five months, the new production of Johann Strauss’ Der “Zigeuner“baron [sic] finally premiered at Komische
read more
Rediscovering “Das Haus dazwischen” By Spoliansky & Schiffer After 90 Years
On 24 August 1932 the newspaper Berliner Börsen-Courier reported that “this morning the well known revue poet Marcellus Schiffer was
read more
“Die Fledermaus Zuhaus”: When 35 Artists From 7 Time Zones Come Together On YouTube
Die Fledermaus Zuhaus (The Bat At Home) is an abridged version of Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus developed during the various
read more
“Barbarella” Meets “Vetter aus Dingsda” At Gärtnerplatztheater Munich
One of the things that irritates me about Richard Traubner’s book Operetta: A Theatrical History is the way he dismisses
read more
“Gypsy” Xmas Stripper Shtick Reduxed
Gypsy Rose Lee has climbed the laddered stocking of the stripper world, tassel by tassel, and mounted a new summit
read more
Lorenzo Viotti Wants To Overcome The “Stiffness” Of The Classical Music World: “Csardasfürstin” From Zurich
The Zurich Opera presented its new Csardasfürstin on Friday, after a long Corona delay. As compensation for the waiting, the
read more
“Bretter, die die die Welt bedeuten“: The DDR Musical Returns To Musikalische Komödie Leipzig
Is this the start of something like “reparation” after an endless period of neglect? On 18 September 2020 Bretter, die
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
What The Nasty Old Lady Said. Or: “Zigeunerbaron” At Volksoper Vienna
I had really been looking forward to seeing the new production of Der Zigeunerbaron in Vienna because I had enjoyed
read more
Victor Herbert’s Tune-Free Opera “Madeleine” (1914) Revived
Alyce Mott’s enterprising company Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live! dedicated to all things Victor Herbert risked alienating the operetta regulars
read more
“Ich wollt’ ich wär’ ein Huhn “: Tackling Toxic Nazi Era Material At Komische Oper Berlin
It’s a daring and adventurous undertaking: while everyone else is busy with “The (New) Twenties” these days, Komische Oper Berlin
read more
Paul Abraham’s “Dschainah – Das Mädchen aus dem Tanzhaus” Revived After 84 Years
If expectations are exceptionally high for a Paul Abraham operetta at Komische Oper Berlin that’s because, in the past, the
read more
“Follies” Set In Socialist East Germany: Sondheim At Staatsoperette Dresden
Stephen Sondheim’s Follies is the Mt. Everest of US-American musical theatre, his most searching and self-reflexive study of the genre
read more
The 40th Bundeswettbewerb Gesang Berlin – With The Stars Of Tomorrow
Bundeswettbewerb Gesang Berlin celebrated its 40th anniversary this year with a musical/chanson themed contest. The gala concert of the finalists
read more
Maury Yeston Meets Julian Slade. Or: “Amélie” At London’s The Other Palace
Amélie is a charming, whimsical, musical, based on a 2001 French Film, which was originally (2015) staged in California, and
read more
Gershwin’s Political Satire “Let ‘Em Eat Cake” At MasterVoices
Artistic Director Ted Sperling conducted a splendid concert reading of George and Ira Gershwin’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1933 musical Of Thee
read more
Victor Herbert’s “The Debutante” (1914) Resurrected In New York
When Victor Herbert’s musical comedy The Debutante premiered in New York in 1914, it had the misfortune to occur the
read more
The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players Give “Iolanthe” A Top Notch Performance
New York’s longest running professional Gilbert & Sullivan company returned to the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (near Lexington Avenue)
read more
“Mary Poppins” As London’s Unashamedly Old-Fashioned Christmas Spectacle
Mary Poppins is an unashamedly old-fashioned “feel-good musical,” at times very pantomimic in style, at times almost a “nostalgic operetta”
read more
The Revival Of Burlesque In Times Of Gender Debates: “Die 5 Glorreichen Sieben”
They are certainly five magnificent cowboys, but with a twist. The fact that they dance an Offenbach pas de deux
read more
Naive Charm: Christine Bovill’s “Tonight You Belong To Me”
A scratchy, smoky voice with a Scottish accent, and a piano: Christine Bovill’s latest show at Bar jeder Vernunft
read more
Gilbert & Sullivan At Wilton’s Music Hall: An “HMS Pinafore” Performance To Remember
Wilton’s Music Hall is “the most important surviving early music hall to be seen anywhere” (says the Theatres Trust) and
read more
Ohio Light Opera: Offering Rarities From Kálmán’s “Teufelsreiter” to Novello’s “Perchance to Dream”
Fans of musical theater and operetta will not find a richer, more concentrated banquet of their favorite entertainment than that
read more
Francesca Zambello’s Version of “Showboat” At Glimmerglass Festival
Showboats gave the theatre-starved people along the Mississippi from the 1880s into the 1920s what they most wanted: melodrama and
read more
Offenbach Double-Treat in London: “La belle Hélène” and “Orpheus in the Underworld”
With the BBC Proms totally ignoring Offenbach’s bicentenary, it has been left to London’s music colleges, small scale opera companies
read more
“Das Feuerwerk” by Paul Burkhard & Erik Charell At Musikalische Komödie Leipzig
When I was about eight years old I have vivid memories of my mother doing the housework, continually singing “Oh,
read more
Emmerich Kálmán’s “Die Bajadere” At The Summer Festival Of Neustrelitz
Imagine sitting under the stars in a beautiful German Schlossgarten, totally relaxed, watching a hugely enjoyable operetta by Emmerich Kálmán
read more