Full Description
Those whose thoughts of musical theatre are dominated by the Broadway musical will find this book a revelation. From the 1850s to the early 1930s, when urban theatres sought to mount glamorous musical entertainment, it was to operetta that they turned. It was a form of musical theatre that crossed national borders with ease and was adored by audiences around the world. This collection of essays by an array of international scholars examines the key figures in operetta in many different countries. It offers a critical and historical study of the widespread production of operetta and of the enthusiasm with which it was welcomed. Furthermore, it challenges nationalistic views of music and approaches operetta as a cosmopolitan genre. This Cambridge Companion contributes to a widening appreciation of the music of operetta and a deepening knowledge of the cultural importance of operetta around the world.
Contents
Introduction Anastasia Belina and Derek B. Scott; Part I. Early Centres of Operetta: 1. French operetta: Offenbach and company John Kendrick; 2. Viennese Golden-Age operetta: drinking, dancing and social criticism in a multi-ethnic empire Lisa Feurzeig; 3. London and Gilbert and Sullivan Bruno Bower; 4. Hungarians and Hungarianisms in operetta and folk plays in the late Habsburg and post-Habsburg era Lynn Hooker; 5. Operetta in the Czech National Revival - the Provisional Theatre years Jan Smaczy; Part II. The Global Expansion of Operetta: 6. Going global: the international spread of Viennese Silver-Age operetta Stefan Frey; 7. Spain and Zarzuela Christopher Webber; 8. Camping along the American operetta divide (on the road to the musical play) Raymond Knapp; 9. Operetta in Russia and the USSR Anastasia Belina; 10. Operetta in the Nordic countries (1850-1970) Pentti Paavolainen; 11. Operetta in Greece Avra Xepapadakou; Part III. Operetta since 1900: 12. The operetta factory: production systems of Silver-Age Vienna Micaela Baranello; 13. Berlin operetta Tobias Becker; 14. Operetta in Italy Valeria De Lucca; 15. Operetta in Warsaw Anastasia Belina; 16. British operetta after Gilbert and Sullivan Derek B. Scott; 17. Operetta during the Nazi regime Matthias Kauffmann; 18. Operetta films Derek B. Scott; 19. 'Jazz was the dynamite that exploded the harmlessness of the Viennese operetta!' (Interviewer: Ulrich Lenz.) Interview with Barrie Kosky.
