P3 - Operetta Gala

ABOUT THE CONCERT

Franz Lehár, Emmerich Kálmán, Johann Strauss Jr, Edmund Eysler and Carl Millöcker represent different generations of composers of operetta, a perennially successful and equally perennially underrated genre of musical theatre. The reputation of the operetta as a lowbrow and somewhat outdated form of entertainment for the masses is undeserved. Indeed, there are operettas of great musical and dramatic value. Strauss’s The Bat from 1874 is one of the best. This witty tangle of plots, enriched with melodies to the rhythm of waltzes and czardas, became one of the most famous examples of the golden age of Viennese operetta, which remains in the repertoire of many contemporary opera houses. The Merry Widow is equally charming. It was created in 1905 by Franz Lehár, a famous Viennese graduate of the Prague Conservatory and Antonín Dvořák’s pupil. While the works of Carl Millöcker are less numerous and less well known, the musical environment in Austria was greatly enriched by dozens of operettas by Edmund Eysler. In the first half of the 20th century, alongside Lehár’s works, Kálmán’s operettas The Gipsy Princess and Countess Maritza stood out, offering immortal melodies in keeping with the rules and characteristics of the genre.

Programme

Franz Lehár: Giuditta 
Franz Lehár: The Land of Smiles 
Emmerich Kálmán: The Gipsy Princess 
Franz Lehár: The Merry Widow 
Johann Strauss Jr: The Bat 
Edmund Eysler: Brother Straubinger 
Carl Millöcker: Gasparone 
Emmerich Kálmán: Countess Maritza 
Johann Strauss Jr: A Night in Venice 
Johann Strauss Jr: Viennese Blood 

Performers

Robert Jindra conductor
Kateřina Kněžíková soprano
Adam Plachetka baritone