Page 60 - 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. 60
opereta med obema svetovnima vojnama
until 1933 can be seen somewhere on the spectrum of radical elitist ‘origi-
nal’ operetta and ‘cleaned-up’ operetta-for-the-masses. This brought forth
a surprising multitude of shows that catered to all tastes and trends: be it
a love for the old-fashioned in Försterchristl, Dreimäderlhaus or Schwar
zwaldmädel, or syncopated Charleston pieces such as Die Herzogin von
Chicago, not to mention Abraham’s whirl-wind Blume von Hawaii and
Ball im Savoy. There were also small-scale satires, such as Alles Schwin
del or Rufen Sie Herrn Plim by Mischa Spoliansky, there were the revivals
of Johann Strauss (arranged by Erich Wolfgang Korngold), there were the
out-and-out operatic pieces by Franz Lehár written for Richard Tauber, and
there were film operettas with scores by Werner Richard Heymann, also
ranging from nostalgia (Der Kongress tanzt) to contemporary (Die Drei von
der Tankstelle).
In 1933, this system came to a complete halt when the Nazis took over
power and introduced a new state-subsidy system in Germany that gave
them control over the entire theater and entertainment world, just like it
gave them control over almost everything else. From then on, all programs
had to be approved by the Reichsdramaturg, so instead of following popu-
lar trends, operetta now followed orders from above.
The Nazis basically erased the elitist and avant-garde version of o peretta
and celebrated the ideal of a ‘Golden Operetta’ with Johann Strauss and
his waltz scores as the highest possible form the genre can strive for. Pol-
itics (and political jokes) were taken out of operetta by direct order from
Goebbels. Instead, audiences got indirect indoctrination which Goebbels
deemed more effective. Lascivious sex was labeled ‘degenerate’ and ‘sick,’ a
form of ‘Jewish smut,’ just like jazz, and both were turned into a new Ary-
an version of ‘modern rhythms’ and a new form a ‘heroic’ nudity to satisfy
the tastes of audiences who had grown used to the more modern versions
of operetta, and did not appreciate old fashioned titles like Die Fledermaus
and Der Zigeunerbaron as an exclusive diet. Nevertheless, Goebbels and
his propaganda ministry tried everything to make precisely these titles ap-
pear attractive to the masses: apart from superstar opera versions, Goebbels
stimulated equally star studded film version of ‘Golden Era’ operettas such
as Vogelhändler, Bettelstudent, Gasparone, Wiener Blut, Frau Luna, Fleder
maus and so forth.
Were operettas a safe space in Nazi times? In many ways: yes. As I just
said, you could be fairly sure that an operetta film or stage performance
was free of direct propaganda, as operettas were intended to ‘relax’ weary
58
until 1933 can be seen somewhere on the spectrum of radical elitist ‘origi-
nal’ operetta and ‘cleaned-up’ operetta-for-the-masses. This brought forth
a surprising multitude of shows that catered to all tastes and trends: be it
a love for the old-fashioned in Försterchristl, Dreimäderlhaus or Schwar
zwaldmädel, or syncopated Charleston pieces such as Die Herzogin von
Chicago, not to mention Abraham’s whirl-wind Blume von Hawaii and
Ball im Savoy. There were also small-scale satires, such as Alles Schwin
del or Rufen Sie Herrn Plim by Mischa Spoliansky, there were the revivals
of Johann Strauss (arranged by Erich Wolfgang Korngold), there were the
out-and-out operatic pieces by Franz Lehár written for Richard Tauber, and
there were film operettas with scores by Werner Richard Heymann, also
ranging from nostalgia (Der Kongress tanzt) to contemporary (Die Drei von
der Tankstelle).
In 1933, this system came to a complete halt when the Nazis took over
power and introduced a new state-subsidy system in Germany that gave
them control over the entire theater and entertainment world, just like it
gave them control over almost everything else. From then on, all programs
had to be approved by the Reichsdramaturg, so instead of following popu-
lar trends, operetta now followed orders from above.
The Nazis basically erased the elitist and avant-garde version of o peretta
and celebrated the ideal of a ‘Golden Operetta’ with Johann Strauss and
his waltz scores as the highest possible form the genre can strive for. Pol-
itics (and political jokes) were taken out of operetta by direct order from
Goebbels. Instead, audiences got indirect indoctrination which Goebbels
deemed more effective. Lascivious sex was labeled ‘degenerate’ and ‘sick,’ a
form of ‘Jewish smut,’ just like jazz, and both were turned into a new Ary-
an version of ‘modern rhythms’ and a new form a ‘heroic’ nudity to satisfy
the tastes of audiences who had grown used to the more modern versions
of operetta, and did not appreciate old fashioned titles like Die Fledermaus
and Der Zigeunerbaron as an exclusive diet. Nevertheless, Goebbels and
his propaganda ministry tried everything to make precisely these titles ap-
pear attractive to the masses: apart from superstar opera versions, Goebbels
stimulated equally star studded film version of ‘Golden Era’ operettas such
as Vogelhändler, Bettelstudent, Gasparone, Wiener Blut, Frau Luna, Fleder
maus and so forth.
Were operettas a safe space in Nazi times? In many ways: yes. As I just
said, you could be fairly sure that an operetta film or stage performance
was free of direct propaganda, as operettas were intended to ‘relax’ weary
58
