John Philip Sousa’s “El Capitan” (1896)
One of the earliest successful comic operas to come out of America, El Capitan was also the one successful attempt
read moreOne of the earliest successful comic operas to come out of America, El Capitan was also the one successful attempt
read moreLet’s start with the positive side of this: Musikalische Komödie has put forgotten composer Jean Gilbert (1879-1942) back on stage
read moreGilbert was born as Max Winterfeld in Hamburg, 11 February 1879. He died in exile in Buenos Aires, 20 December
read moreThe story of the six-member close harmony group known as Comedian Harmonists – the toast of Germany and elsewhere in
read moreI have just been on a very, very happy trip down memory boulevard. For a couple of years of my
read moreMany people have wondered what Barrie Kosky will do next in terms of popular musical theater at Komische Oper, once
read moreWhile German or Austrian theatres regularly programme classic Broadway musicals, Spain’s lyric theatres only rarely enter this attractive universe, though
read moreFinding the best of all possible Candide recordings is hard. Because Leonard Bernstein’s eclectic work from 1956 – his only
read moreAnother Porgy and Bess recording? Pentanone Classics has released highlights conducted by Marin Alsop, taken from a live concert in
read moreIt was originally planned for May 2021, but didn’t happen because of you-know-what. However, Theater für Niedersachen (TfN) didn’t give
read moreHarbinger Records is planning a re-issue – for the first time on CD – of the Smithsonian Institution’s 1981 recording
read moreÜbers Thema Operette in der DDR wird in letzter Zeit wieder mehr gesprochen. 2012 gab es in der Ausstellung Welt
read moreWhen the Shakespeare adaptation Swingin‘ the Dream opened on Broadway in 1939 it followed Erik Charell’s earlier XXL-sized Broadway hit
read moreGypsy Rose Lee has climbed the laddered stocking of the stripper world, tassel by tassel, and mounted a new summit
read moreWolfgang Jansen has published many books: on the history of revues and revue operettas in the Weimar Republic, on Broadway
read moreWhen Staatsoperette Dresden presented Kurt Weill’s One Touch of Venus as part of their “Broadway in Dresden” series, in a
read moreAnd now, I would like to talk to you about George London. Yes, I am aware that he didn’t sing
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 moreDevotees of classic Hollywood musicals – the sort that are the staple of Turner Classic Movies – will know Hungarian
read moreAn updated version of the Aladdin story, rewritten to feature the comedians Dave Montgomery and Fred Stone, Chin-Chin cast its
read moreThere’s a lot happening in the world of theater right now, not just because of Corona and the ongoing lockdown
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 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 moreJoseph Coyne was a light comedy actor-who-sings who moved from silly-ass rôles in his native America to stardom as Britain’s
read moreIn the United Kingdom restrictions on ‘live’ performance, owing to Covid-19, were lifted with regard to outdoor theatre at the
read moreIt’s going to happen: Berlin will get an “Exilmuseum,” a museum dedicated to the stories of those who went into
read moreThe aspect that initially drew my attention to this brand new re-release of The Merry Widow in “hi-fidelity stereo” was
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 in Washington, DC, on 27 January, 1869. The son of a well-off and well-educated family,
read moreIn Dahomey was an early American “Negro musical comedy” (in a prologue and 2 acts), one of the first to be
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