Operetta 🎼 Opérette

Operetta 🎼 Opérette

Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs and including dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, and length of the work. Apart from its shorter length, the operetta is usually of a light and amusing character. The subject matter may portray "lovers' spats, mistaken identities, sudden reversals of fortune, and glittering parties". It sometimes also includes satirical commentaries.
"Operetta" is the Italian diminutive of "opera" and was used originally to describe a shorter, perhaps less ambitious work than an opera.  Operetta provides an alternative to operatic performances in an accessible form targeting a different audience. Operetta became a recognizable form in the mid-19th century in France, and its popularity led to the development of many national styles of operetta.  

Distinctive styles emerged across countries including Austria-Hungary, Germany, England, Spain, the Philippines, Mexico, Cuba, and the United States. Through the transfer of operetta among different countries, cultural cosmopolitanism emerged in the previous century. Operetta as a genre lost favor in the 1930s and gave way to modern musical theatre. Important operetta composers include Johann Strauss, Jacques Offenbach, Franz Lehár, and Francisco Alonso.

Operettas often feature exotic settings, romantic story lines, and memorable melodies. 
This video explains the difference between opera and operetta:
What Is The Difference Between An Opera And An Operetta? Classical Serenade  · Jan 22, 2025

Key Characteristics of Operetta:

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Light Opera:
It's a genre that sits between opera and musical theater, often described as "light opera". 
Spoken Dialogue:
Unlike full-fledged operas, operettas typically include spoken dialogue, making them more accessible to audiences. 
Musical Numbers:
Operettas feature songs and dances that advance the plot and provide opportunities for vocal display. 
Lighter Tone:
While some operettas may touch on serious themes, they are generally known for their lighter, more comedic or romantic storylines. 
Exotic Settings & Themes:
Many operettas are set in romantic or fanciful locations, often with historical or mythological elements. 
Popular in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries:
Operetta enjoyed widespread popularity, particularly in Europe and the United States, before gradually giving way to musical theater. 

Watch this Video to see Examples of Operettas:
StageAgent · Aug 20, 2024

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Examples of famous operettas:
    Die Fledermaus: by Johann Strauss II
    The Merry Widow: by Franz Lehár
    The Pirates of Penzance: by Gilbert and Sullivan
    The Mikado: by Gilbert and Sullivan
    The Student Prince: by Sigmund Romberg 
Operetta's legacy continues to influence musical theater today, with many shows drawing inspiration from its style and conventions. 

Music  🎼  Operetta

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History

Operetta became recognized as a musical genre around 1850 in Paris. In 1870, the centre for operetta shifted to Vienna when Paris fell to the Prussians. The form of operetta continued to evolve through the First World War.

There are some common characteristics among operettas that flourished from the mid-1850s through the early 1900s, beginning with the French opéra-bouffe.  They contain spoken dialogue interspersed between musical numbers, and often the principal characters, as well as the chorus, are called upon to dance, although the music is largely derived from 19th-century operatic styles, with an emphasis on singable melodies. Operetta in the twentieth century is more complex and reached its pinnacle in Austria and Germany.

Operetta is a precursor of the modern musical theatre or the "musical".  In the early decades of the 20th century, operetta continued to exist alongside the newer musicals, with each influencing the other. The distinctive traits of operetta are found in the musical theatre works of Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim.

Operetta in French

Origins

Operetta was first created in Paris, France in the middle of the 19th century in order to satisfy a need for short, light works in contrast to the full-length entertainment of the increasingly serious opéra comique. By this time, the "comique" part of the genre name had become misleading: Georges Bizet's Carmen (1875) is an example of an opéra comique with a tragic plot. The definition of "comique" meant something closer to "humanistic", meant to portray "real life" in a more realistic way, representing tragedy and comedy next to each other, as Shakespeare had done centuries earlier. With this new connotation, opéra comique had dominated the French operatic stage since the decline of tragédie lyrique. The origins of French operetta began when comic actors would perform dances and songs to crowds of people at fairs on open-air stages. In the beginning of the 18th century these actors began to perform comic parodies of known operas. These performances formed operetta as a casual genre derived from opéra comique, while returning to a simpler form of music. Many scholars have debated as to which composer should be credited as the inventor of operetta; Jaques Offenbach or Hervé.  It is concluded that Hervé completed the groundwork, and Offenbach refined and developed the art form into the concept of operetta as we know it today. Therefore, "Offenbach is considered the father of French operetta – but so is Hervé."

👉 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operetta

 

Operetta is a theatrical genre of light opera, typically featuring spoken dialogue, songs, and dances, often with a lighter, more humorous or romantic tone than traditional opera.

Here's information about some of the most famous operettas and their composers:

• Orpheus in the Underworld: Composed by Jacques Offenbach, this is considered by many to be the first true operetta. It premiered in 1858 and is a satirical take on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. It features the famous "Infernal Galop," often associated with the can-can dance. Offenbach is widely regarded as the father of French operetta.
• Die Fledermaus (The Bat): This operetta by Johann Strauss II, also known as the "Waltz King," debuted in 1874. It's a classic example of Viennese operetta and involves a story of mistaken identity, a masked ball, and a bat costume. It is frequently performed worldwide.
• The Merry Widow: Composed by Franz Lehár in 1905, this operetta revitalized Viennese operetta and remains one of the best-known works in the operetta repertoire. It is frequently performed in Germany. The Merry Widow incorporated elements of Russian, Slavic, and folk music into the traditional Viennese style.
• HMS Pinafore: A comic operetta by the English duo Gilbert and Sullivan, which debuted in 1878. It tells the story of the forbidden love between a sea captain's daughter and a lower-class sailor.
• The Mikado: Another popular work by Gilbert and Sullivan, this operetta satirizes the British government and society, using a Japanese setting.
• The Pirates of Penzance: This Gilbert and Sullivan operetta features a tangled plot about a young sailor, a gang of pirates, and the daughter of a Major General.
• The Student Prince: Composed by Sigmund Romberg, this operetta premiered in 1924 and is based on a German stage play.
• Babes in Toyland: This operetta by American composer Victor Herbert premiered in 1903 and includes popular songs like "Toyland". 

These are just a few examples of the many famous and beloved operettas that have graced the stage throughout history.

 

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