ROBERT STOLZ COMPOSER AUTOGRAPH BELGIAN CARD AUSTRIA GERMANY FILM

Description: This autographed Belgian CARD is a rare piece of entertainment memorabilia for any music enthusiast. The envelope was signed by Robert Stolz, a renowned composer who is known for his contributions to classical, opera, and ballet music. The autograph is original and adds value to any collection of music memorabilia. The envelope is from Austria and Germany, and is an original piece. It is perfect for collectors of autographs, original pieces, and music memorabilia. The industry is music, and the signed piece is an original. This is a must-have for any serious collector. Robert Elisabeth Stolz was an Austrian songwriter and conductor as well as a composer of operettas and film music. Robert Elisabeth Stolz (25 August 1880 – 27 June 1975) was an Austrian songwriter and conductor as well as a composer of operettas and film music.[1] BiographyStolz was born of musical parents in Graz.[2] His father was conductor and composer Jakob Stolz, his mother was concert pianist Ida Bondy, and he was the great-nephew of the soprano Teresa Stolz. At the age of seven, he toured Europe as a pianist, playing Mozart.[3] He studied at the Vienna Conservatory with Robert Fuchs and Engelbert Humperdinck.[1] From 1899 he held successive conducting posts at Maribor (then called Marburg), Salzburg and Brno before succeeding Artur Bodanzky at the Theater an der Wien in 1907.[1] There he conducted, among other pieces, the first performance of Oscar Straus's Der tapfere Soldat (The Chocolate Soldier) in 1908, before leaving in 1910 to become a freelance composer and conductor. Meanwhile, he had begun to compose operettas and individual songs and had a number of successes in these fields. After serving in the Austrian Army in World War I, Stolz devoted himself mainly to cabaret, and moved to Berlin in 1925. Around 1930, he started to compose music for films, such as the first German sound film Zwei Herzen im Dreivierteltakt (Two Hearts in Waltz Time), of which the title-waltz rapidly became a popular favourite. Some earlier Stolz compositions, such as "Adieu, mein kleiner Gardeoffizier" from his operetta Die lustigen Weiber von Wien, became known to wider audiences through the medium of film, after it was interpolated into Im weißen Rößl (The White Horse Inn). The rise of Nazi Germany led Stolz to return to Vienna, where his title-song for the film Ungeküsst soll man nicht schlafen gehn was a hit. He remained active in Berlin as well. He used to travel by car between the two cities, so he smuggled Jews and political refugees across the German–Austrian border in the trunk of his limousine. He managed to do so 21 times. Then came the Anschluss, and he moved again, first to Zürich and then to Paris, where in 1939 he was interned as an enemy alien. With the help of friends he was released and in 1940 made his way to New York.[2] Bust of Robert Stolz in the Viennese City ParkIn America, Stolz achieved fame with his concerts of Viennese music,[1] starting with "A Night in Vienna" at Carnegie Hall. As a result, he received many invitations to compose music for shows and films,[1] and he received two Academy Awards nominations: "Waltzing in the Clouds" for Spring Parade was nominated for Best Original Song in 1941, and his score for It Happened Tomorrow was nominated for Best Dramatic or Comedy Picture Score in 1945. In 1946 Stolz returned to Vienna,[1] where he lived for the rest of his life. In the 1960s and 1970s he made numerous recordings of operettas by composers such as Johann Strauss, Franz Lehár, Emmerich Kálmán, and Leo Fall, whom he had known previously. In 1952, he began to compose for the Vienna Ice Revue. He dedicated his first of 19 ice operettas ("Eternal Eve") to European Champion Eva Pawlik. In 1970, to mark his 90th birthday, he was made an Honorary Citizen of Vienna.[1] He was also awarded Vienna's Grand Medal of Honour, being only the second musician ever to be so honoured (after Richard Strauss). In later years he used a baton inherited from Franz Lehár, which had been originally owned by Johann Strauss and contained Strauss's initials engraved in silver. After his death in Berlin in 1975, Robert Stolz received the honour of a lying-in-state in the foyer of the Vienna State Opera House.[citation needed] He was buried near Johannes Brahms and Johann Strauss II in Vienna's Zentralfriedhof, and statues to him were erected in the Wiener Stadtpark, the Prater, Berlin-Grunewald, Stuttgart, Baden-Baden, and other places across Germany and Austria. A place is named after him - Robert-Stolz Platz, where he lived until his death - just off the Opernring in Vienna, close to the State Opera. There are further streets named after him throughout Germany (Düsseldorf, Ulm, Wiesbaden, Aalen, Bremen) and Austria (Linz, Graz, Villach). He also appeared on a series of commemorative postage stamps in Austria and Germany, as well as in Hungary, Uruguay, Paraguay, North Korea and San Marino. MarriagesRobert Stolz was married five times. His first and second wives (Grete Holm and Franzi Ressel), were singers. His third wife was Josephine Zernitz and the fourth was named Lilli. His fifth wife Yvonne Louise Ulrich (1912-2004), called "Einzi" or "die Einzige" for her role assisting German and Austrian artists in exile in Paris during the Second World War, was his manager until his death. She had one daughter from her first marriage, whom Robert Stolz adopted: Clarissa. Robert Stolz's grandchildren are French writer Natacha Henry and entrepreneur and financier Nick Henry-Stolz.[4] Selected operettasDas Glücksmädel (1910)Der Tanz ins Glück (The Dance into Happiness) (1921)Im weißen Rößl (The White Horse Inn) (1930), jointly with Ralph BenatzkyWenn die kleinen Veilchen blühen (When the Little Violets Bloom or Wild Violets) (1932)Venus in Seide (1932)[5]Der verlorene Walzer, a stage version of the film Zwei Herzen im Dreivierteltakt (1933)Selected songs Robert Stolz Memorial at the Prater"Servus Du" (1912) words by Benno Vigny[6]"Wien wird erst schön bei Nacht" words by Wilhelm Sterk [de]"Im Prater blühn wieder die Bäume" words by Kurt Robitschek"Das ist der Frühling in Wien" words by Arthur Rebner"Du, du, du sollst der Kaiser meiner Seele sein." (1916)"Hallo, du süsse Klingelfee" (1919) words by Arthur Rebner"Salome, schönste Blume des Morgenlands" (1920) words by Arthur Rebner"Ich will deine Kameradin sein" words by Walter Reisch"Die ganze Welt ist himmelblau" words by Robert Gilbert[6]"Zwei Herzen im Dreivierteltakt" (Two Hearts in 3/4 Time) words by Walter Reisch[6]"Das Lied ist aus" (Frag nicht warum) (1930) with words by Walter Reisch[6] from the 1930 film The Song Is Ended directed by Géza von Bolváry"Wiener-Café" (Waltz)"Adieu mein kleiner Gardeoffizier" words by Bruno BalzSelected filmographyTwo Hearts in Waltz Time (1930)Hocuspocus (1930)The Song Is Ended (1930)A Gentleman for Hire (1930)The Merry Wives of Vienna (1931)The Theft of the Mona Lisa (1931)Madame Pompadour (1931)The Prince of Arcadia (1932)A Man with Heart (1932)I Do Not Want to Know Who You Are (1932)What Women Dream (1933)My Heart Calls You (1934)Two Hearts in Waltz Time (1934)My Heart Is Calling You (1934)Spring Parade (1934)Adventure on the Southern Express (1934)The Gentleman Without a Residence (1934)Circus Saran (1935)I Love All the Women (1935)Heaven on Earth (1935)The Charm of La Boheme (1937)The Unexcused Hour (1937)Who's Your Lady Friend? (1937)One Night at the Tabarin (1947)The White Horse Inn (1952)Come Back (1953)A Breath of Scandal (1960)Comprehensive list on IMDB Robert Stolz Honours and awards include1934: Venice International Film Festival: Great Medal (Best Musical) for Spring Parade1941: Academy Award nomination (Best Original Song) for the song Waltzing in the clouds from Spring Parade1945: Academy Award nomination (Best Musical) for It Happened Tomorrow1946: Professor Honoris Causa by the Austrian Government1947: Citizens charter of the city of Vienna1962: Great Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany1964: First honorary member of the Vienna Volksoper1965: Ring of Honour of the City of Graz1968: Honorary Ring of Styria1969: Film Award for many years of excellent work in German films1969: Ring of Honor at the Bregenz Festival1970: Honorary Citizen of the City of Vienna1970: Cultural honor letter of Passau1970: Honorary Citizen of the City of Graz1970: Honorary Medal of the City of Rotterdam1970: Ring of Honour of Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs- und mechanische Vervielfältigungsrechte1970: Austrian Decoration for Science and Art[7]1970 Honorary Medal of the City of Jerusalem1971 Jerusalem Medal (for the flight assistance to Jewish citizens)See alsoWienerlied A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both.[citation needed] The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music genre and film scoring. A songwriter who mainly writes the lyrics for a song is referred to as a lyricist. The pressure from the music industry to produce popular hits means that song writing is often an activity for which the tasks are distributed among a number of people.[1] For example, a songwriter who excels at writing lyrics might be paired with a songwriter with the task of creating original melodies. Pop songs may be composed by group members from the band or by staff writers – songwriters directly employed by music publishers.[1] Some songwriters serve as their own music publishers, while others have external publishers.[1] The old-style apprenticeship approach to learning how to write songs is being supplemented by university degrees, college diplomas and "rock schools".[1] Knowledge of modern music technology (sequencers, synthesizers, computer sound editing), songwriting elements and business skills are significant for modern songwriters.[2] Several music colleges offer songwriting diplomas and degrees with music business modules.[1] Since songwriting and publishing royalties can be substantial sources of income, particularly if a song becomes a hit record; legally, in the US, songs written after 1934 may be copied only by the authors. The legal power to grant these permissions may be bought, sold or transferred. This is governed by international copyright law.[1] Songwriters can be employed in a variety of different ways. They may exclusively write lyrics or compose music alongside another artist, present songs to A&R, publishers, agents and managers for consideration. Song pitching can be done on a songwriter's behalf by their publisher or independently using tip sheets like RowFax, the MusicRow publication and SongQuarters.[1] Skills associated with song-writing include entrepreneurism and creativity.[3] Staff writers do not necessarily get printed credit for their contributions to the song. Staff writersAs a creative writer, the author of private work includes rights agreement in terms of service declares releases any creative Commons from liability of expressive performances bearing similarities in any connection with an unrelative party of experiences of instances relieves indifferencies can bound parties by arbitration legal court of law. In the form of a contract agreement as a songwriter also a publisher can appoint a duty of publication of copyrighted works for staffs. Being a staff writer effectively means that, during the term of the songwriter's contract with the publisher, all their songs are automatically published by that company and cannot be published elsewhere.[1] In the Nashville country music scene, there is a strong staff writer culture where contracted writers work normal "9-to-5" hours at the publishing office and are paid a regular salary, says staff writer Gary Growden. This salary is in effect the writer's "draw", an advance on future earnings, which is paid monthly and enables them to live within a fixed budget.[4] The publisher owns the copyright of songs written during the term of the agreement for a designated period, after which the songwriter can reclaim the copyright.[4] In an interview with HitQuarters, songwriter Dave Berg extolled the benefits of the set-up: "I was able to concentrate on writing the whole time and have always had enough money to live on."[5] Unlike contracted writers, some staff writers operate as employees for their respective publishers. Under the terms of these work for hire agreements, the compositions created are fully owned by the publisher. Because the recapture provision of the United States Copyright Act of 1976 does not apply to "works made for hire", the rights to a song created under an employment contract cannot be "recaptured" by the writer after 35 years. In Nashville, young writers are often strongly encouraged to avoid these types of contracts. Staff writers are common across the whole industry, but without the more office-like working arrangements favoured in Nashville. All the major publishers employ writers under contract.[5] Obtaining a staff writer contract with a publisher can be the first step for any professional songwriting career, with some writers with a desire for greater independence outgrowing this set-up once they achieve a degree of success.[5] Songwriter Allan Eshuijs described his staff writer contract at Universal Music Publishing as a starter deal. His success under the arrangement eventually allowed him to found his own publishing company so that he could "keep as much [publishing income] as possible and say how it's going to be done."[6] Specific rolesBeatmakerA beatmaker is a songwriter who creates and composes music or beats for a song, often laying the groundwork or 'musical bed'. Then a composer who specializes in melody will create the top line for the track. Tools typically used are keyboards, drum machines, softsynths and digital audio workstations. Beat makers or composers are not necessarily record producers by definition or acting role since they generally do not work directly with an artist in a recording studio that oversees the production and recording of the final product. However, record producers can be involved in co-writing songs as the composer wearing two hats as the producer and songwriter as they may write and compose the original music such as the beat and then oversee the production that takes control of the recording sessions with the artist and engineer all the way down to the mix stage. They are referred to as Record Producer / Songwriters as they generally receive songwriting and production credits for both roles. This is especially true for R&B, hip-hop producers in urban hip hop production, when composing the original music as the co-writer is integrated into their traditional role as a Record Producer, such as Rodney Jerkins, Dr. Dre, Timbaland or Pharrell Williams, as opposed to a rock producer that may rarely contribute as a co-writer of a song. Top-linersA top-line writer or top-liner is a songwriter who writes a song over a pre-made beat. In top-lining, the writer is not creating a song from scratch, but rather creating lyrics and melodies over an existing music genre, tonality, harmony, rhythm, and form of a song.[7] In modern commercial writing, it is a common practice for the musical track to be produced first without any vocal melody or lyrics. This is partially due to the rise of portable music production equipment and digital audio workstations that are designed for the swift arrangement of electronic music, such as Cubase[8] and Ableton Live.[9] The top-liner usually is also a singer, and will sing over the track as the demo singer. If the song is for a particular artist, the top-liner may sing the demo in that artist's style. Top-liners often work in groups to co-write. Sometimes producers send out tracks to more than one top-line writer so that the producer or singer could choose the best option. Since the track is the same, melodies by different writers can sometimes be very similar. Occasionally, the producer might choose a few lines of melodic or lyrical ideas from one top-liner without properly crediting or paying them. These situations sometimes result in legal battles over ownership of the melodies or lyrics.[10] There is a way to prevent such legal battles. A songwriter can commit their "intent to make a song", which prevents any of the parties ripping the song apart. Some artists send out a legal disclaimer making clear that if their melody is not used after doing a topline, it reverts to them, and the track back to the track writer.[11] Multi-tasking songwritersAs musiciansSongwriters are also often skilled musicians. In part, this is because the process of "working out" a song or arrangement requires a songwriter to play an instrument, typically the guitar or the piano, to hear how the chord progression sounds and to hear how well a given set of chords supports a melody. In addition to selling their songs and musical concepts for other artists to sing, some songwriter-musicians create songs to perform themselves. Songwriters need to create a number of elements for a song, including an introduction, various verses and a chorus. At minimum, a songwriter must prepare a lead sheet for a song, which consists of one or more pieces of sheet music with the melody notes and chord progression indicated on it. The songwriter may expand upon the melody and chord progression by adding an instrumental melody (which may occur before or after the vocal melody, or alongside the vocal melody) and creating a more complex song structure (e.g., verse, chorus, bridge, instrumental solo section, etc.). As producersWith recent technological improvements, a songwriter can now create commercially viable music almost entirely on their laptop. This technological advancement has made the producer/songwriter role a much more popular occurrence. Perhaps because the role of producer is not generally understood by the public, the average listener does not know when an artist also takes on the role of producer. Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys is one of the earliest and most widely known examples of a songwriter turned music producer. Within two years of the band's commercial breakthrough, Wilson had taken over from his father Murry, and he was the sole producer of all their recordings between 1963 and 1967. As singersMain article: Singer-songwriterMany singers also write songs for themselves, and as such, they are usually referred to as singer-songwriters.[12] Sole writingIn solitary songwriting or sole writing, only one person is responsible in creating the entire music and lyrics of a song. According to Billboard, 44% of the songs that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the 1970s were written by just one songwriter. The percentage declined to 42% in the 1980s, 24% in the 1990s, 6% in the 2000s, and 4% in the 2010s.[13] Lionel Richie and Diane Warren are the only songwriters with at least 8 number-one singles written solely by themselves.[13] Co-writingSongs written by more than one person is co-written, written jointly or written in collaboration with other authors.[14] Co-writers may use the "stream of consciousness" approach, referring to having ideas flow rather than being discussed. The first step in co-writing is to establish the division of the contribution between co-writers. In copyright law, there is no distinction of importance between the lyrics of the song or the melody of the song, therefore each writer is given equal ownership over the song, unless another agreement is arranged.[15] "Phantom" songwriters provide small contributions to songs. The songwriter suggests a line for a verse or a session musician who informally proposes a chord progression for a coda. "Phantom" songwriters are usually not given credit. Songwriting partnershipSongwriting partnership or songwriting duo is a prolific collaboration which consists of two songwriters, usually sharing 50% royalty each. Songwriting partnership can be between a composer and a lyricist (Andrew Lloyd Webber with Tim Rice or Elton John with Bernie Taupin),[16][17] a performer and a producer (Madonna with Patrick Leonard or Mariah Carey with Walter Afanasieff),[18][19] or between bandmates (Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones or Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA).[20] According to Billboard, the songwriting partnership between John Lennon and Paul McCartney remains the most successful one of all time, resulting over 180 songs and a record 20 number ones for the Beatles on the Billboard Hot 100.[21] Songwriting campSongwriting camp is a gathering of multiple producers and topliners in a pre-selected location for the purpose of writing songs for a specific artist.[22][23][24] As one of the most successful artists in releasing many hit songs, Rihanna has been known for holding various writing camps to make her albums.[12][25] Writing camps are also very popular in K-pop music industry.[26][27][28] SamplingMain article: Sampling (music)Sampling is the reuse of a portion (or sample) of a sound recording in another recording. The original songwriter(s) of a song usually receive co-writing credit when their work is sampled on another song, although they did not literally involve in making the latter. For example, Sting is credited as a co-writer alongside Todd Gaither and Faith Evans for "I'll Be Missing You" (1997) due to the sample of "Every Breath You Take" (1983), a song he solely wrote for the Police. However, "I'll Be Missing You" did not have legal approval for the sample before its release, thus Sting sued and received 100% of the song royalties, with payments reportedly going until 2053.[29][30] Beyoncé's album Lemonade (2016) features as many as 72 co-writers due to use of samples in majority of its tracks.[31] See alsoMusicianRolling Stone's 100 Greatest Songwriters of All TimeList of Songwriters Hall of Fame inducteesSinging Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size,[1] length of the work, and at face value, subject matter.[2] Apart from its shorter length, the operetta is usually of a light and amusing character.[3] It sometimes also includes satirical commentaries.[4] A Columbia Records advertisement for a recording of Rita Montaner in a production of Eliseo Grenet and Ernesto Lecuona's Niña Rita, o, La Habana en 1830, an operetta from the Spanish genre of zarzuela."Operetta" is the Italian diminutive of "opera" and was used originally to describe a shorter, perhaps less ambitious work than an opera.[5] 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.[5] Distinctive styles emerged across countries including Austria-Hungary, Germany, England, Spain, the Philippines, Mexico, Cuba, and the United States.[6] Through the transfer of operetta among different countries, cultural cosmopolitanism emerged in the previous century.[7] Operetta as a genre lost favor in the 1930s and gave way to modern musical theatre.[8] Important operetta composers include Johann Strauss, Jacques Offenbach, Franz Lehár, and Francisco Alonso. DefinitionsThe term operetta arises in the mid-eighteenth-century Italy and it is first acknowledged as an independent genre in Paris around 1850.[2] Castil-Blaze's Dictionnaire de la musique moderne claims that this term has a long history and that Mozart was one of the first people to use the word operetta, disparagingly,[6] describing operettas as "certain dramatic abortions, those miniature compositions full of bullshit in which one finds only cold songs and couplets from vaudeville".[9] The definition of operetta has changed over the centuries and ranges depending on each country's history with the genre.[8] It is often used to refer to pieces that resemble the one-act compositions by Offenbach in contrast with his full length compositions, ‘opéra-bouffe’.[2] Offenbach invented this art form in response to the French government's oppressive laws surrounding the stagings of works that were larger than one act or contained more than four characters.[4] Cover page of Boccaccio, oder Der Prinz von Palermo (Boccaccio, or the Prince of Palermo) by Franz von Suppé in 1879. An example of early Viennese operetta.HistoryOperetta 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.[2] The form of operetta continued to evolve through the First World War.[2] There are some common characteristics among operettas that flourished from the mid-1850s through the early 1900s, beginning with the French opéra-bouffe.[10] 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.[5] Operetta in the twentieth century is more complex and reached its pinnacle in Austria and Germany.[6] Operetta is a precursor of the modern musical theatre or the "musical".[11] 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.[2] Operetta in FrenchOriginsOperetta 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.[5][10] 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.[12] Many scholars have debated as to which composer should be credited as the inventor of operetta; Jaques Offenbach or Hervé.[13] 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."[8] Notable composers Playbill for a revival of Orphée aux enfersHervé was a singer, composer, librettist, conductor, and scene painter. In 1842, he wrote the one act opérette, L'Ours et le pacha, based on the popular vaudeville by Eugène Scribe and X. B. Saintine. In 1848, Hervé made his first notable appearance on the Parisian stage, with Don Quichotte et Sancho Pança (after Cervantes), which can be considered the starting point for the new French musical theatre tradition. Hervé's most famous works are the Gounod parody Le petit Faust (1869) and Mam'zelle Nitouche (1883).[14] Jacques Offenbach is most responsible for the development and popularization of operetta—also called opéras bouffes or opérettes—giving it its enormous vogue during the Second Empire and afterwards.[5] In 1849, Offenbach obtained permission to open the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens, a theatre company that offered programs of two or three satirical one-act sketches. The company was so successful that it led to the elongation of these sketches into an evening's duration.[5] However, Offenbach's productions were bound by the police prefecture in Paris, which specified the type of performance that would be allowed: "pantomimes with at most five performers, one-act comic musical dialogues for two to three actors, and dance routines with no more than five dancers; choruses were strictly forbidden."[9] These rules defined what came to be defined as operetta: "a small unpretentious operatic work that had no tragic implications and was designed to entertain the public".[9] Two other French composers, Robert Planquette and Charles Lecocq, followed Offenbach's model and wrote the operettas Les Cloches de Corneville (The Bells of Normandy) and La Fille de Madame Angot (The Daughter of Madame Angot).[15] The two operettas were considered a major hit. Riviera Girl posterOne of the most well-known operettas of famous Hungarian playwright Emmerich Kálmán is the Csárdáskirálynő ("Czardas Queen"). It was played at Broadway, by the name 'Riviera Girl'.The political limitations placed on Offenbach and Parisian theatre were gradually lifted, and operetta gained wide popularity. While Offenbach's earliest one-act pieces included Les deux aveugles, Le violoneux and Ba-ta-clan (all 1855) did well, his first full-length operetta, Orphée aux enfers (1858), was by far the most successful. It became the first repertory operetta and was staged hundreds of times across Europe and beyond.[9] Offenbach's legacy is seen in operettas throughout the late 19th century and beyond by encouraging Strauss the Younger to bring the genre to Austria-Hungary. Offenbach also traveled to the US and England educating musicians on the more than 100 operettas he wrote during his lifetime.[16] This international travel resulted in the appearance of strong national schools in both nations.[17] By the 1870s, however, Offenbach's popularity declined. The public showed more interest in romantic operettas that showed the "grace and refinement" of the late Romantic period. This included Messager's operetta Véronique and Louis Ganne's Les saltimbanques. The 20th century found French operetta even more out of favor as the international public turned to Anglo-American and Viennese operettas, which continued to develop the art form into the late Romantic era. Operetta in GermanOffenbach was unabashed about spreading operetta around the continent. In 1861, he staged some of his recent works at the Carltheater in Vienna, which paved the way for Austrian and German composers. Soon, Vienna became the epicenter of operetta productions.[9] It is because of the Viennese operetta, not the French, that the term is used to describe a full-length work.[5] Additionally, after the Prussian defeat in 1866, operetta became the sign of a new age in Austria, marked by modernity and industrialization.[18] Austria–Hungary Johann Strauss IIThe most significant composer of operetta in the German language was the Austrian Johann Strauss II (1825–1899). Strauss was recruited from the dance hall and introduced a distinct Viennese style to the genre.[5] Strauss was highly influenced by the work of Offenbach, so much so that he collaborated with many of Offenbach’s librettists for his most popular works.[4] His operetta, Die Fledermaus (1874), became the most performed operetta in the world, and remains his most popular stage work. In all, Strauss wrote 16 operettas and one opera, most with great success when first premiered.[5] Strauss's satire was often generic, unlike Offenbach who commented on real-life matters.[4] Strauss's operettas, waltzes, polkas, and marches often have a strongly Viennese style, and his popularity causes many to think of him as the national composer of Austria. The Theater an der Wien never failed to draw huge crowds when his stage works were first performed. After many of the numbers the audience would call noisily for encores. Franz von Suppé, also known as Francesco Ezechiele Ermenegildo, Cavaliere Suppé-Demelli, was born in 1819 and his fame rivals that of Offenbach. Suppé was a leading composer and conductor in Vienna and most known for his operetta Leichte Kavallerie (1866), Fatinitza (1876), and Boccaccio (1879).[19] Suppé was a contemporary to Strauss and composed over 30 operettas 180 farces, ballets and other stage works. Recently, though most of his works have been fallen into obscurity, many of them have been reprised within films, cartoons, advertisements and so on. Both Strauss and Suppé are considered to be the most notable composers of the Golden Age of Viennese operetta.[20] Following the death of Johann Strauss and his contemporary, Franz von Suppé, Franz Lehár was the heir apparent. Lehar is widely considered the leading operetta composer of the 20th century and his most successful operetta, Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow), is one of the classic operettas still in repertory.[21] Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) poster by Franz LehárLehár assisted in leading operetta into the Silver Age of Viennese Operetta. During this time, Viennese Censorship laws were changed in 1919.[22] Lehár is most responsible for giving the genre renewed vitality. Studying at the Prague Conservatory Lehár began as a theatre violinist and then took off as a composer in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. During this 1905, Lehár's Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) paved a pathway for composers such as Fall, Oscar Straus, and Kálmán to continue the tradition of Operetta. Lehár was also one of the first composers who began to incorporate into film. [2] The Viennese tradition was carried on by Oscar Straus, Carl Zeller, Karl Millöcker, Leo Fall, Richard Heuberger, Edmund Eysler, Ralph Benatzky, Robert Stolz, Leo Ascher, Emmerich Kálmán, Nico Dostal, Fred Raymond, Igo Hofstetter, Paul Abraham and Ivo Tijardović in the 20th century. Germany Paul Lincke, father of the Berlin operettaIn the same way that Vienna was the center of Austrian operetta, Berlin was the center of German operetta. Berlin operetta often had its own style, including, especially after World War I, elements of jazz and other syncopated dance rhythms, a transatlantic style, and the presence of ragged marching tunes. Berlin operettas also sometimes included aspects of burlesque, revue, farce, or cabaret. Paul Lincke pioneered the Berlin operetta in 1899 with Frau Luna, which includes "Berliner Luft" ("Berlin Air"),[23] which became the unofficial anthem of Berlin. His Lysistrata (1902) includes the song and tune "The Glow-Worm", which remains quite popular internationally. Much later, in the 1920s and 1930s, Kurt Weill took a more extreme form of the Berlin operetta style and used it in his operas, operettas, and musicals. It is arguable that some of Kurt Weill's compositions could be considered modernist operetta.[24] The Berlin-style operetta coexisted with more bourgeois, charming, home-loving, and nationalistic German operettas – some of which were called Volksoperetten (folk operettas). A prime example is Leon Jessel's extremely popular 1917 Schwarzwaldmädel (Black Forest Girl).[25] These bucolic, nostalgic, home-loving operettas were officially preferred over Berlin-style operettas after 1933, when the Nazis came to power and instituted the Reichsmusikkammer (State Music Institute), which deprecated and banned "decadent" music like jazz and similar "foreign" musical forms. In the beginning of twenty-first century, German revival of operetta was an unforeseen theatrical development.[26] Notable German operetta composers include Paul Lincke, Eduard Künneke, Walter Kollo, Jean Gilbert, Leon Jessel, Rudolf Dellinger, Walter Goetze and Ludwig Schmidseder. Operetta in English H.M.S. PinaforeOffenbach's influence reached England by the 1860s. Arthur Sullivan, of the Gilbert and Sullivan duo, composed Cox and Box (1866) as a direct reaction to Offenbach's Les deux aveugles (1855).[5] Gilbert and Sullivan solidified the format in England with their long-running collaboration during the Victorian era. With W. S. Gilbert writing the libretti and Sullivan composing the music, the pair produced 14 comic operas, which were later called Savoy Operas. Most were enormously popular in Britain, the U.S., and elsewhere. Gilbert, Sullivan, and their producer Richard D'Oyly Carte themselves call their joint works comic operas to distinguish this family-friendly fare from the risqué French operettas of the 1850s and 1860s.[27] Their works, such as H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado, continue to enjoy regular performances throughout the English-speaking world.[28] While many of these operas seem to be very light-hearted, works such as the Mikado were making political commentaries on the British government and military with one of the main topics being capital punishment which was still widely used at the time.[29] English operetta continued into the 1890s, with works by composers such as Edward German, Ivan Caryll and Sidney Jones. These quickly evolved into the lighter song-and-dance pieces known as Edwardian musical comedy. Beginning in 1907, with The Merry Widow, many of the Viennese operettas were adapted very successfully for the English stage. To explain this phenomenon, Derek Scott writes, In January 1908, London’s Daily Mail claimed that The Merry Widow had been performed 450 times in Vienna, 400 times in Berlin, 350 times in St Petersburg, 300 times in Copenhagen, and was currently playing every evening in Europe in nine languages. In the USA, five companies were presenting it, and "the rush for tickets at the New Amsterdam Theatre" was likened to "the feverish crowding round the doors of a threatened bank". Stan Czech, in his Lehár biography, claims that by 1910 it had been performed "around 18,000 times in ten languages on 154 American, 142 German, and 135 British stages".[30] The international embrace of operetta directly correlated with the development of both the West End in London and Broadway in New York.[30] American audiences were first introduced to operetta through Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore in 1878.[31] American operetta composers included Victor Herbert, whose works at the beginning of the 20th century were influenced by both Viennese operetta and Gilbert and Sullivan.[32] He was followed by Sigmund Romberg and Rudolph Friml. Nevertheless, American operetta largely gave way, by the end of World War I, to musicals, such as the Princess Theatre musicals, and revues, followed by the musicals of Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and others. Another notable operetta in English is Candide by Leonard Bernstein. It was advertised as a “comic operetta.”[33] Candide’s score in some ways was typical for its announced genre with some waltzes, but Bernstein added the schottische, gavotte, and other dances, and also entered the opera house with the aria “Glitter and Be Gay” Operetta in ItalianOperetta was the first imported vocal genre in Italy.[34] Since the 1860s, French and Viennese composers such as Offenbach, Hervé, Suppé, Strauss Jr and Lehár have significantly influenced the operatic tradition of Italy. The widespread popularity of foreign operetta in Italy reached its climax at the turn of the century, in particular with the success of La vedova allegra, which premiered in Milan in 1907.[34] Italian operetta composers tended to stretch the definition of an "operetta" more than other nations in order to fit the beauty of Italian Romantic opera style. An example would be Giacomo Puccini, who developed his work in the realistic verisimo style, and would compose "operettas in three acts".[35] Other notable composers of Italian operetta include Vincenzo Valente, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Pasquale Mario Costa, Pietro Mascagni, Carlo Lombardo, Enrico Toselli, Virgilio Ranzato and Giuseppe Pietri.[35] Reception and controversyThe audiences of operetta during the 1860s and 1870s are described as rowdy and loud.[34] Operetta was considered one of the major controversies about Italian music and culture between the 1860s and the 1920s.[34] During that period, strong nationalistic undertones in Italy strived to unify its national identity. Recognizing operetta as a foreign genre, operetta was perceived as an art form that would contaminate Italian opera or illegitimately undermine its primacy on the stage.[34] It was not until the early twentieth century that Italian composers systematically engaged in writing operetta. See alsoMusic portaliconOpera portalComic operaList of operetta composersMusical theatreOperetta filmZarzuela Robert Stolz (1880-1975): A Masterful Composer of Operettas and Songs Robert Stolz was an Austrian composer known for his immensely popular Viennese operettas and songs. Over the course of his long career from the early 20th century through the 1970s, he wrote over 200 operettas, operas and stage works along with numerous songs that became standards of thetime. Despite the difficult political changes in Europe during his lifetime, his music spread joy and remained much beloved internationally. Let us explore the life and legacy of this masterful composer. Early Years and Education (1880-1902) Robert Stolz was born on June 24, 1880 in Graz, Austria. He came from a musical family - his father was a bass singer and his mother played the piano. Stolz began studying music at a young age, first the piano and then composition at the Graz Conservatory. He showed an extraordinary talent and completed his studies in only 4 years instead of the usual 6 or more. In 1902, at the age of 22, Stolz scored his first major success with the one-act operetta Himmel, Liebe und Sonnenschein. Its popularity led to a move to Vienna to further his career. This marked the beginning of Stolz's ascent as one of the leading composers of Viennese operettas in the early 20th century Golden Age. Rise to Fame in Vienna (1902-1914) In Vienna, Stolz quickly found success writing for some of the most prestigious Viennese theaters and opera houses. Some of his major early hits included Der floberte Himmel (The Floberted Sky, 1903), Das Glücksmädel (The Good Luck Girl, 1905) and Die Prinzessin vom Nils (The Princess of the Nile, 1907). All featured charming stories, delightful melodies and were huge commercial successes that further established Stolz's popularity. In 1907, Stolz also married his wife Christine. They would have two daughters together. His family life provided Stolz great support as his career took off. In this period before World War 1, Vienna was at the cultural height of its Golden Age and Stolz's romantic and uplifting operettas were the perfect entertainment for the time. Audiences flocked to his shows, which often had runs of over 500 performances. Stolz was now one of the most acclaimed composers in Vienna. International Fame and The Interwar Years (1914-1938) When World War 1 broke out in 1914, it brought much change across Europe. However, Stolz's career continued to thrive internationally. He began receiving invitations to write for theaters across Germany and his works were translated into many languages. Some of his most beloved operettas from this period included Der lachende Ehemann (The Laughing Husband, 1916) and Das Herz von Paris (The Heart of Paris, 1917). In the 1920s, Stolz established himself as one of the most successful German-language operetta composers in the world. His works were performed not just across Europe but as far as South America. He also ventured into other genres like operas and more intellectual pieces. However, audiences continued to adore his lighthearted but sophisticated Viennese-style operettas. Major works included Die Blume von Hawaii (The Flower of Hawaii, 1921) and Der singende Traum (The Singing Dream, 1923). The rise of the Nazi regime in the 1930s did affect Stolz, as it did many prominent German-speaking artists at the time. Some of his works were banned due to their Jewish or international themes. However, Stolz continued producing new operettas, songs and traveling to present his works wherever possible. His talent for catchy, emotionally uplifting music helped bring joy even in dark times. English Language Success and Later Career (1938-1975) To escape the increasingly oppressive atmosphere in Europe, Stolz emigrated to the United States in 1938. Remarkably, at the age of 58 he managed to achieve great success adapting to the American theater scene. He wrote several English-language operettas that found broad popularity, including Thrill of Youth (1939) and Careless Rapture (1940) on Broadway. However, he did return to Austria after the war ended in 1945. Stolz continued composing prolifically in his later life, writing some of his most charming scores like Viennese Nights (Wiener Nächte, 1955) well into his 70s and 80s. Throughout the 1950s and 60s, he received numerous honors from Austria and Germany for his tremendous contributions to music over many decades. Even in his 90s, he remained occupied conducting, advising young musicians and perfecting his works. Robert Stolz passed away at the impressive age of 95 on October 25, 1975 in Munich. By that time, he had left behind an immense legacy of over 200 stage works and songs from his long career spanning over 70 years. His melodies, which perfectly captured the wit, charm and grace of Viennese culture, have endured and continue bringing joy to audiences worldwide to this day. Stolz truly embodied the romantic spirit of Viennese operetta and established himself as one of its most prolific and beloved masters. Legacy and Impact Robert Stolz did more than almost any other composer to spread the popularity of Viennese operetta internationally during its Golden Age and beyond. His works represented the best of what made the genre so appealing - charming stories, infectious melodies, refined librettos and above all an uplifting sense of joie de vivre. This was surely a big part of why audiences from Germany to England to the Americas took his pieces to their hearts for decades. In his homeland of Austria, Stolz also left an indelible mark. Many of his works like Der lachende Ehemann have become ingrained in Austrian culture and are still regularly performed today. His songs are considered standards, with many sets to his lyrics. Decades after his death, new generations continue to discover the magic of his nostalgic yet timeless compositions. Perhaps most impressively, Stolz managed to flourish as a composer across nearly a full century of immense historical changes in Europe. Through two world wars, revolutions, and socio-political upheavals, his music endured and spread as a force for joy, romance and cultural understanding. This testifies not only to his immense talent, but also the universality and heartfelt appeal of his musical language. Robert Stolz remains one of the true giants of Viennese operetta and a composer who brought music's power to uplift spirits to people worldwide. His legacy will undoubtedly live on through his masterful works for many years to come.

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