My Corona Year 2020: Discovering Wolfgang Anheisser’s “Operetten Gala”
My first theatre visit of 2020 was an ominous forewarning of what was to come: On 2 January I saw
read moreMy first theatre visit of 2020 was an ominous forewarning of what was to come: On 2 January I saw
read moreIn the United Kingdom restrictions on ‘live’ performance, owing to Covid-19, were lifted with regard to outdoor theatre at the
read moreMy first ‘live’ encounter with Oscar Straus was attending a wonderfully inspired production of his first operetta Die lustigen Nibelungen
read moreIn a preface to Cheer Up! British Musical Films 1929-1945, author Adrian Wright tells us that British Film Studios made
read moreThe record label Naxos has just released a fascinating CD containing French 19th century overtures. One of these is the
read moreThe German record label cpo has recently released a CD of two short operettas. One of them is a real
read moreThe Drama Review (TDR) is planning a special issue on the developments in the German theater scene from 2010 to
read moreThe paperback edition of this fascinating, useful and, on the whole, well researched book sells for about 20 Euros on
read moreIn 2018 the National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company staged the first professional revival of Haddon Hall for about one
read moreI had really been looking forward to seeing the new production of Der Zigeunerbaron in Vienna because I had enjoyed
read moreAmélie is a charming, whimsical, musical, based on a 2001 French Film, which was originally (2015) staged in California, and
read moreThis is totally delightful! Francisco Barbieri (1823-94) was the leading exponent of the zarzuela revival of the mid-19th century. He
read moreMary Poppins is an unashamedly old-fashioned “feel-good musical,” at times very pantomimic in style, at times almost a “nostalgic operetta”
read moreWilton’s Music Hall is “the most important surviving early music hall to be seen anywhere” (says the Theatres Trust) and
read moreWith the BBC Proms totally ignoring Offenbach’s bicentenary, it has been left to London’s music colleges, small scale opera companies
read moreWhen I was about eight years old I have vivid memories of my mother doing the housework, continually singing “Oh,
read moreThe 1922 Madame Pompadour is not only one of Leo Fall’s last stage works (he died in 1925), it is
read moreWith all the attention being given to Offenbach, it is easy to forget that 2019 is also the bicentenary of
read moreGerman regional theatres excel in searching out rarely performed stage works and often breathing new life into them. Le Roi
read moreThe World Heritage city of Hildesheim, 20 miles south-east of Hannover, possesses a charming, intimate, 600-seater theatre staging opera, musicals
read moreIn November 2018 I reviewed a concert performance of Howard Goodall’s Girlfriends, recommending his previous musical The Hired Man which
read moreBenatzky’s 1930 hit Meine Schwester und ich in a new Wien Volksoper production is totally delightful and enchantingly charming. More
read moreNot seen in London since its original production at the Piccadilly Theatre in 1968, when it starred Keith Michell as
read moreBefore the building of railways into London from the rest of south-east England in the third quarter of the nineteenth
read moreAfter having had great success in Berlin with three operettas on a very grand scale – Viktoria und ihr Husar
read moreKálmán composed Kaiserin Josephine after his ‘regular’ first night theater, the Theater an der Wien, had gone bankrupt as a
read moreAfter the success of The Hired Man (being revived at Hornchurch in the Spring of 2019), Howard Goodall turned his
read moreThis year the International G & S Festival, as well as the National G & S Company are celebrating their
read moreThis summer the historic Frank Matcham designed Buxton Opera House, built in 1903 and seating 902, was host to the
read moreThis year the National G & S Opera Company celebrates its silver jubilee with six new productions. I was invited
read moreEvery self-respecting operetta company needs a production of one of the 20th century’s greatest operettas: Kalman’s Die Csardasfürstin. Whether Dresden
read moreThe excellent (and beautifully illustrated) programme calls Der Bettelstudent “one of the best-loved of all the Golden Age Viennese operettas.”
read moreThe Pirates of Penzance must be Gilbert and Sullivan’s most staged operetta and, as a director, it must be difficult
read moreAfter the success of The Gondoliers in December 1889, D’Oyly Carte, Gilbert and Sullivan had a well-publicised disagreement because Gilbert
read moreHaving hugely enjoyed Barrie Kosky’s 2013 exuberant production of Abraham’s Ball im Savoy several times, I was interested to see
read moreTheater Augsburg is in the midst of refurbishment, so the various ensembles have decamped to several venues around the city.
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