Charell’s “Casanova” & Spoliansky’s “Zwei Krawatten“ Come To Staatsoperette Dresden
Using the famous line “Die ganze Welt ist himmelblau,” the artistic director of Staatsoperette Dresden, Kathrin Kondaurow, has presented her
read morePosts Tagged 'Ralph Benatzky'
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
“Swapping The Canon” To Dismantle Racism & Hetero-Cis-Patriarchy? Proposals For Higher Education In The USA
There’s a lot happening in the world of theater right now, not just because of Corona and the ongoing lockdown
read more
Revisiting “Daniela Ziegler Sings Ralph Benatzky”
At the beginning of August 2020 Helga Benatzky died at the blessed age of 96: she had been in charge
read more
Post-Corona Operetta In Berlin. Or: Here’s Barrie Kosky’s Chancelled “Orpheus In The Underworld”
Has the long waiting finally come to an end, is post-Corona operetta back? After the somewhat problematic “Jewish and Gay”
read more
The Royal Voice of Betty Fischer On Truesound Transfers
In 1924 Betty Fischer created one of the greatest operetta roles of the 20th century: Gräfin Mariza in Emmerich Kálmán’s
read more
Dario Salvi: Recording Johann Strauss’ “Blindekuh” (1878) For Naxos In Sofia
“Blindekuh”, literally “blind cow”, is the German term for the “blind man’s buff” game – and it is the title
read more
Operetta Between The Two World Wars: International Musicological Symposium In Ljubljana
The staging of musical-dramatic works in the late nineteenth century was dominated by operetta, which effectively dictated the programmes of
read more
Benatzky’s “Meine Schwester und ich” At Volksoper Wien
Benatzky’s 1930 hit Meine Schwester und ich in a new Wien Volksoper production is totally delightful and enchantingly charming. More
read more
Thank You For The Music! Duophon Records Founder Alfred Wagner Has Died
It’s with great sadness that we heard about the death of Alfred Wagner this morning. He was the man behind
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
“Im weißen Rössl” At Renaissance Theater Berlin: Drowning A Fun Show In Melancholy
It will come as no surprise when I say that Im weißen Rössl holds an extra-special place in my heart,
read more
The English Language Adventures of “Im weißen Rössl”
The overwhelming and instant success of Erik Charell’s operetta spectacle Im weißen Rössl at Berlin’s Großes Schauspielhaus (the so-called “Theater
read more
The First Sperm-Donor Operetta: How “Axel an der Himmelstür” Became “Liebespremiere” In 1943
The Hollywood spoof Axel an der Himmelstür, with music by Ralph Benatzky, premiered at the Theater an der Wien in
read more
The Problem With Thielemann’s Dresden New Year’s Concert
Yes, it’s that time of year again when New Year’s concerts are unavoidable. It’s also the time when those in
read more
Benatzky’s “Liebe im Schnee” With The Kammeroperette Münster
The so called Kammeroperette Münster specialises in staging “minimalist” productions of neglected operettas: this year one of Benatzky’s first full-length
read more
Shades Of Grey: “Axel an der Himmelstür” In Vienna
Considering the continuing number of revivals of Im weißen Rössl one could be forgiven for thinking that Benatzky composed nothing
read more
Re-Sampling A Legend: “Ziegfeld And His Follies” By Cynthia And Sara Brideson
Here is a splashy new biography of “Broadway’s Greatest Producer,” Florenz Ziegfeld, written by the team of the Brideson sisters,
read more
“Axel an der Himmelstür” in Vienna: Take Your Clothes Off, Beautfiful Operetta Lady!
The Volksoper Vienna has revived the 1936 hit Axel an der Himmeltür, originally written for Zarah Leander and Max Hansen.
read more
“The White Horse Inn At Central Park”: Rediscovering The Jimmy Berg Adaptations
The White Horse Inn at the Central Park – an Austrian operetta staged in New York in the 1940s? Yes,
read more
On The Road With John Groves: “Im weißen Rössl” In Neustrelitz
To tell the truth: Im weißen Rössl at the Neustrelitz open air operetta festival was fascinating! For a start, I
read more
“Al cavallino bianco”: The 1954 Italian Film Version Starring Rosy Barsony
As everyone knows, by now, there are many White Horse Inn incarnations out there, and it seems more and more
read more
Reviewing The Swiss Operetta Scene: A Conversation With Simon Burkhalter
Young stage director Simon Burkhalter is busy putting Im weißen Rössl on in Bern, Switzerland, where the “slowest people in
read more
The White Horse Rides Again: Jimmy Berg’s “Rössl” 1940s Adaptations
Das Weiße Rössl am Central Park – eine österreichische Kultoperette im New York der 40er Jahre? 1941 und 1947 war
read more
Benatzky’s “Bezauberndes Fräulein” In Switzerland
Ralph Benatzky’s “Musikalisches Lustspiel” Bezauberndes Fräulein (1933) is a true delight. As anyone knows who has ever heard the wonderful
read more
Two “Im weißen Rössl” Exhibtions In Neustrelitz
It is one man’s enthusiasm that made this possible: the hotel owner Jürgen Haase from Neustrelitz – a picturesque town
read more
“Männe, hak’ mir mal die Taille auf!”: Erotic Cabaret Songs
The art of the suggestive song is not restricted to any particular historic era; it is, however, limited to a
read more
“She Loves Me”: Miklos Laszlo’s Hungarian Play As A Modern Broadway-Operetta?
Many great operetta things come from Hungary; and you might add, many great musical comedy things too. Emmerich Kalman wanted
read more
Oscar Straus – Ein deutscher Offenbach?
Yes, there’s a new book on Oscar Straus, that often over-looked composer of Ein Walzertraum but also of Die lustigen
read more
Desirée Nick: “Ich bin die größte Diva von allen!”
Die singende Entertainerin und TV-Phänomen Desirée Nick ist derzeit in der Sat1-Show Promi Big Brother zu bestaunen (und so ziemlich
read more
“I Want To Be A Primadonna”: Christoph Marti Turns 50 Today
It’s a ultra-pink birthday today, and a reason for the operetta world to celebrate one of its greatest divas of
read more
“Im Weißen Rössl” Re-Examined: A Conference In St. Wolfgang
Yes, there is more: more White Horse Inn. (Hooray!) The Paris-Lodron Univeristy Salzburg, together with the Leopold-Franzens University Innsbruck, is
read more
Operetta for Generation LGBTQIA: “White Horse Inn” in Bremen
When a production of White Horse Inn starts with a new overture and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” – segueing into
read more
Can Critics Get Away With Anything? Reading Michael Cerha and “Der Standard”
The Austrian newspaper Der Standard was founded in 1988 and is known, if you believe Wikipedia, as a “left-liberal” and
read more
The “Dancing Conductor” Joseph R. Olefirowicz In Munich
If you’re watching this space, you might have registered some recent frustration with current operetta conductors who were not quite
read more
Five Year Plan: Glorious Rarities At The Festival In Ischl
Yes, it might be true that the Austrian operetta festival in Bad Ischl is fighting for “pure survival,” as director
read more