The opera was very well received initially, but its subsequent neglect was so disappointing that Lehár decided against a second one. Lehár's operatic model was Slavonic rather than Italian, and much of Kukuschka's appeal came through his feel for Russian melody. They moved in slightly different directions, but they are perhaps equally regarded among Europe's greatest composers, and certainly most popular.įranz Lehár in 1906, by Austrian photographer Ludwig Gutmann (1869-1943) Their main themes were of love affairs tending to the tragic, music rising to similar levels of intensity. Lehár strongly approved that recent opera by Puccini and they developed a mutual respect and lasting friendship. It is a tragedy which has a similar shape to that of Manon Lescaut, though the lovers are more admirable. Kukuschka, later revised and now recorded under the title Tatyana, has the theme of exile to Siberia, with two lovers dying together.

It gave little suggestion that Lehár would become probably the greatest of twentieth century operetta composers. An exception is Franz Lehár (1870-1948) who set out as an opera composer with Kukuschka (1896). It is difficult to find a clear-cut illustration of the difference between opera and operetta in the works of a single composer.

'Deinen süssen Rosenmund.GEORGE COLERICK writes about Franz Lehár,.

'Gern hab ich die Fraun geküsst' (Paganini).

'Einmal möcht' ich was Närrisches tun' (Bella Giretti – Pimpinelli).

'Niemand liebt dich so wie ich' (Maria Anna Elisa – Paganini).

'Mit den Frau'n auf Du und Du' (Bella Giretti – Pimpinelli).

'Liebe, du Himmel auf Erden' (Maria Anna Elisa).

Set in Lucca, the story concerns the love affair of Niccolò Paganini, the irresistibly charming violinist, with Élisa Bonaparte, the arts and theatre-loving younger sister of Napoleon. Giacomo Pimpinelli, court chamberlain to the princessĬourtiers, soldiers, peasants, servants etc. Maria Anna Elisa, Princess of Lucca and Piombino, sister of Napoleonīella Giretti, a dancer, romantically involved with the prince In 1934 the operetta was adapted into the German film Paganini. They recorded seven numbers from the show for Parlophone Records, including the new number 'Fear Nothing' that Lehár had written for the London production. Cochran at the Lyceum Theatre in London in May 1937, with Tauber as Paganini and Evelyn Laye as Anna Elisa. A new production was mounted in Berlin at the Theater des Westens in April 1930, again with Tauber and Schwarz, and the composer conducting at the opening night on Easter Sunday.Īn English version with lyrics by A. It was the first Lehár operetta specially written for Tauber, who had previously appeared in the composer's Zigeunerliebe in 1920 and Frasquita in 1922 with great success. In the event, Tauber and Schwarz made it a huge success in Berlin, where it ran for three months. The operetta was so coolly received in Vienna that the Berlin impresario, Heinz Saltenberg, was reluctant to mount it at the Deutsches Künstlertheater without guarantees against losses. Tauber's contract with the Berlin State Opera required him to be in Stockholm at the time of the Vienna premiere. Lehár composed the work as a vehicle for Richard Tauber, the acclaimed Austrian tenor, though he assumed the role (with Vera Schwarz as the princess) in Berlin on 30 January 1926, rather than the Vienna premiere which was at the Johann Strauss Theater on 30 October 1925 with Carl Clewing in the title role.

The German libretto was by Paul Knepler and Bela Jenbach. Paganini is an operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár.

Lehar operetta