|
The history of the operetta does not stem from Italian tradition, as many might surmise. Instead, this rich art form sprung up in Paris in the middle of the 1800's. It's predecessors were opera, the courtly masque and traveling bands of singers and dancers that wandered Europe long before it. After operetta was created, the idea for the musical sprung into public conscience.
The operetta can be traced to one particular manager, Jacques Offenbach. A talented composer, he had to deal with the strange sanctions placed on the theater of his day. The law in Paris at this time prohibited more than three characters per independent stage production, to prohibit independent managers from competing with state-sponsored productions in France. Offenbach created a formula that blended melody, vocals, dancing and comic operatic plots. It was a typical take on opera buffa, or a kind of operatic plot that mixes buffoonery with an opera score. His productions included dancing mutes and clowns, and in this way he presented full productions despite the limitations placed on him and his work.
His first operetta was the hit Ba-ta-clan, an entertaining mix that caught on wildly with the waltzing crowd in Europe at the time. Other popular operettas of his were Le Perichole, Les Brigands, and Orfee aux Enfers. His tunes were rapidly spread throughout Europe, rich with political satire and the ripe vocalizations of his star Hortense Schneider, a middle-age soprano with a difficult temper. A piece of comedy in a serious age, his works and spoofs of major dramas became the toast of Europe.
After Offenbach's death in 1880, another talented operetta composer stepped into the limelight, none other than the famous Johann Strauss II, the son of the Johann Strauss I and a famous waltz conductor and composer. Strauss II was known for his violin playing and wild conducting of the beloved waltz. His first operetta was Die Fledermaus, a comic story of a lovesick married man. One can see in this work the theme of romantic misdemeanors made popular since the time of Mozart. In the tradition of Offenbach's operettas, his work was widely accepted and loved.
The British were the next to pick up the operetta tradition, and their most famous contributors were the team of Gilbert and Sullivan. Strangely but excellently paired, these two created hits that were rich with political digs and blasphemous themes. Their work was often accentuated by their tumultuous relationship, which included their public spats and equally-as-public apologies. Their work is a far cry from the three-voice operettas of Offenbach. Their casts feature large bands of singing pirates, lovesick maidens and happy crowds. Their themes stem from everything from the aesthetic movement to the role of nobility in everyday life. Famous pieces include the Pirates of Penzance, Patience, and Iolanthe.
For the operetta beginner, I would suggest a viewing of Offenbach's Le Perichole, followed by Die Fledermaus. A progression to Gilbert and Sullivan will round out your operetta knowledge, so view the Pirates of Penzance, by far their most popular work.
|
| |
