Emmerich Kálmán (1882-1953) ranks next to Franz Lehár as one of the leading representatives of the “Silver Era” of the operetta, which was stamped above all by the works of the Austro-Hungarian cultural sphere, and which followed the classical period of the Viennese operetta. Kálmán’s “Herbstmanöver”, premiered at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna in 1908, immediately confirmed the young composer’s talent for this genre. The roots of the phenomenal originality of his melodies lie in his love of Hungarian gypsy music and his natural affinity for the Viennese waltz tradition, which characterize such musically original, international successes as the operettas “The Czardas Princess” (1915) and “Countess Maritza” (1924). Kálmán emigrated to America in 1939 but returned to Europe after the War and died in Paris on 30 October 1953. Beginning in the 1920s, he increasingly incorporated elements of modern dance music into his stage works. Particularly worthy of mention among his other successful works are “Die Bajadere” (1921), “The Circus Princess” (1926) and “Das Veilchen vom Montmartre” (1930).
Cinderella’s Dream (Aschenbrödels Traum)
Explore a fresh take on the classic Cinderella story! Inspired by Johann Strauss’s unfinished ballet, Axel Ranisch and Martina Eisenreich dream up a unique operetta that blends the original ballet’s history with a modern twist on the fairy tale. Cinderella’s Dream invites the audience on a magical journey of self-discovery, liberation, creativity, and the power of imagination. Martina Eisenreich’s music captures Johann Strauss’s artistic spirit, weaving in familiar motifs while creating a completely original musical world, which conductor Leslie Suganandarajah brings to life formidably: “The orchestra mastered the genre shifts in Eisenreich’s score, which elegantly combined Strauss, feel-good film music and twelve-tone echoes” (Die Presse). ” An accessible, entertaining, contemporary approach to the world of the Waltz King .” (Der Standard)
Die Fledermaus
On 5 April 1874, at what is now Linke Wienzeile, a world premiere took place that changed the genre of operetta and the history of the Theater an der Wien for good. To mark Johann Strauss’ 200th birthday, artistic director Stefan Herheim surprises with a fresh new production of the “queen of operettas”: Musical references that tie back to the Theater an der Wien, political warnings and precise character work make for a truly unique spin on an old classic. “Alina Wunderlin is a delightful grumpy Adele with coloratura qualities, Hulkar Sabirova throws herself wholeheartedly into the role of Rosalinde and Thomas Blondelle is a pompous, sleazy Eisenstein, just as one could wish for” (APA). Chief conductor Petr Popelka “achieves success with the confident and supple orchestra and the enthusiastic and splendid Schoenberg Choir” (Die Presse). “A brilliant performance by conductor and orchestra!” (FAZ)
Wiener Blut
Shortly after Strauss’ death, Adolf Müller Jr. compiled one of the most famous Strauss operettas from motifs from the waltz Wiener Blut (1873) and other works, which continues to carry the magic of Vienna out into the world. Nikolaus Habjan stages the piece at the magical and intimate Schönbrunn Palace Theatre as an imaginative, fast-paced romp. “Staged with charming verve and plenty of wit” (Kleine Zeitung) “By taking the emotions depicted seriously, director Habjan gets everything right when it comes to the eternally difficult subject of operetta. Love, jealousy, vanity and hurt feelings are always relevant” (Die Presse). “Staged with charming verve and plenty of wit”
(Kleine Zeitung)
Cagliostro – Johann Strauss in the Circus Tent
Combining pop, musical theatre and circus spectacle, author Thomas Brezina and composer Johnny Bertl have created a new musical performance based on motifs from Strauss’ operetta Cagliostro in Vienna. In the big top of the famous circus Roncalli, daring acrobatic acts meet famous Strauss melodies to tell the story of the magician and con man Caglistro. A unique experience for the whole family that “succeeds in transferring the entertainment value of a Strauss operetta to the present day” (Salzburger Nachrichten). “When circus and operetta come together, a new piece of Viennese cultural history is the result” (Kurier)
Im Weissen Rössl
Ralph Benatzky’s cult classic operetta The White Horse Inn, a romantic comedy set in the picturesque Salzkammergut in Austria, has enjoyed great success around the world, with countless productions on Broadway, in the West End, Paris and Berlin. At the Vienna Volksoper, Jan Philipp Gloger stages the work as a witty criticism against modern mass tourism while preserving the charm of the work, which lovingly pokes fun at German and Austrian sensibilities: “Gloger finds (…) a contemporary exuberance that makes fun of all kinds of things that deserve it” (Kurier). Annette Dasch “sparkles both vocally and comedically” (Kronenzeitung) as the snappy innkeeper of the ‘Rössl’ opposite Jakob Semotan, who sings her head waiter with “bright and balmy” tones (Der Standard). The rest of the ensemble is engaging and funny throughout, including actor Götz Schubert as the Berlin manufacturer Giesecke and beloved German entertainer Harald Schmidt, who delights the Viennese audience with his Swabian dialect as eco-tourist Prof. Dr. Hinzelmann – a great success!
The Infernal Comedy
The stage-play for a Baroque-Orchestra, two Sopranos and one actor is based on the real-life story of Jack Unterweger, a notorious womanizer and celebrated author and journalist, who was suspected of killing prostitutes in Vienna, Graz, Prague and Los Angeles; later vanished from Vienna, fled into the U.S., got arrested in Miami, transferred to Austria, accused and finally committed suicide after being convicted of homicide in eleven cases.