Page 14 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2021. Opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama ▪︎ Operetta between the Two World Wars. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 5
P. 14
opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama
second thematic section of the present monograph (Operetta at the Opera
of the Slovene National Theatre in Maribor between the Two World Wars),
reveals that it was almost entirely characterised by operetta, with operetta
productions accounting for more than two thirds of the company’s reper-
toire. In a similar manner, the third thematic section of the present mon-
ograph (Operetta at the Opera of the Slovene National Theatre in Ljublja
na and other surrounding theatres between the Two World Wars) traces the
staging of operettas (somewhat fewer in number) by both domestic and for-
eign composers on the stage of the Ljubljana Opera.
Notwithstanding a certain amount of primary research in the field in
recent years, the mark left by operetta on the wider social and cultural life
of the capitals of both Lower Styria and Carniola was so significant that
the genre surely deserves to occupy a more important place in contempo-
rary Slovene musicological research. Without operetta, it is impossible to
imagine a comprehensive view of the Slovene music theatre of the past, let
alone understand its position in the broader historical and social context.
Of particular note is the story of the “expulsion” of operetta from Slo-
venia after the Second World War. As noted by Borut Smrekar, one of the
leading connoisseurs of operetta in Slovenia, this is a “unique cultural oddity
in the European context”.4 The story tells us much about the intellectual at-
mosphere of the time and is therefore an important contribution to our un-
derstanding of cultural and social events in our relatively recent past.
With the help of papers from leading Slovene and foreign researchers,
the present monograph sheds light on the broader social role of operetta as
an artistic genre in the past and present. It considers the policies of various
opera houses regarding repertoire, company size and other questions relat-
ed to operetta in the period between the two world wars, while at the same
time it aims to make a comparative study of the position of operetta before
and after the period in question. It also devotes attention to a structural
analysis of some of the central works in the operetta genre and touches in-
directly on some interdisciplinary studies of musical-dramatic culture. In
this connection, it is worth mentioning the review of librettos and various
staging practices and directorial approaches. Through a variety of interdis-
ciplinary studies, the present monograph thus illuminates several aspects
of this once extremely popular musical genre and opens up possibilities for
the further study of the measureless riches of operetta.
4 Borut Smrekar, “Foreword,” in: Henrik Neubauer, Opereta v Sloveniji: zgodovinski
pregled (Ljubljana: Kulturno Društvo Glasbena Matica, 2008), jacket.
12
second thematic section of the present monograph (Operetta at the Opera
of the Slovene National Theatre in Maribor between the Two World Wars),
reveals that it was almost entirely characterised by operetta, with operetta
productions accounting for more than two thirds of the company’s reper-
toire. In a similar manner, the third thematic section of the present mon-
ograph (Operetta at the Opera of the Slovene National Theatre in Ljublja
na and other surrounding theatres between the Two World Wars) traces the
staging of operettas (somewhat fewer in number) by both domestic and for-
eign composers on the stage of the Ljubljana Opera.
Notwithstanding a certain amount of primary research in the field in
recent years, the mark left by operetta on the wider social and cultural life
of the capitals of both Lower Styria and Carniola was so significant that
the genre surely deserves to occupy a more important place in contempo-
rary Slovene musicological research. Without operetta, it is impossible to
imagine a comprehensive view of the Slovene music theatre of the past, let
alone understand its position in the broader historical and social context.
Of particular note is the story of the “expulsion” of operetta from Slo-
venia after the Second World War. As noted by Borut Smrekar, one of the
leading connoisseurs of operetta in Slovenia, this is a “unique cultural oddity
in the European context”.4 The story tells us much about the intellectual at-
mosphere of the time and is therefore an important contribution to our un-
derstanding of cultural and social events in our relatively recent past.
With the help of papers from leading Slovene and foreign researchers,
the present monograph sheds light on the broader social role of operetta as
an artistic genre in the past and present. It considers the policies of various
opera houses regarding repertoire, company size and other questions relat-
ed to operetta in the period between the two world wars, while at the same
time it aims to make a comparative study of the position of operetta before
and after the period in question. It also devotes attention to a structural
analysis of some of the central works in the operetta genre and touches in-
directly on some interdisciplinary studies of musical-dramatic culture. In
this connection, it is worth mentioning the review of librettos and various
staging practices and directorial approaches. Through a variety of interdis-
ciplinary studies, the present monograph thus illuminates several aspects
of this once extremely popular musical genre and opens up possibilities for
the further study of the measureless riches of operetta.
4 Borut Smrekar, “Foreword,” in: Henrik Neubauer, Opereta v Sloveniji: zgodovinski
pregled (Ljubljana: Kulturno Društvo Glasbena Matica, 2008), jacket.
12
