Die lustige Witwe and the Creation of the Silver Age of Viennese Operetta. (10th July 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baranello, Micaela
• Is Part Of: Cambridge opera journal. Volume 26:Number 2(2014:Jul.)
• Page Start: 175
• Page End: 202
• Publication Date: 2014-07-10
• Subjects: Opera -- Periodicals; 782.1
• DOI: 10.1017/S0954586714000032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0954-5867

Abstract

Abstract: Franz Lehár's Die lustige Witwe (1905) was conceived during a period of instability in both operetta and Viennese life. Considering the music and reception of both Witwe and some of its immediate, now-forgotten predecessors, this article argues that the operetta's dramatic and musical dualism between urbane, Offenbach-like Paris and folksy, imaginary Pontevedro can be read both as a response to operetta's conflicting priorities of satire and sentiment and as a depiction of the multi-ethnic world of working-class Vienna. The operetta's unusual popularity, subsequent influence and exceptionally long performance history have tended to obscure these more immediate concerns.