Operetta is the vital link between Opera and the Musical, it originated in Paris, and became highly popular in London and Vienna. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all the wonderful operettas on offer with Stretta Music today!
In Paris in the middle of the 19th century, operetta, which is shorter and lighter than ’serious opera’, developed out of the highly popular opera comique. This new form, consisting of frivolous parodies of bel canto opera and Meyerbeer’s grand opéra, and contemporary society, was first penned by Jacques Offenbach.
In Vienna, news of Offenbach’s success spread quickly, and it inspired composers like Johann Strauss II to take up the call, and the first great Viennese operetta was his “Die Fledermaus”. In contrast to the French can-can, the Viennese operettas are famous for their Waltzes. As the operetta grew in popularity, composers tried to reach the more affluent audience, and operetta soon became less frivolous, and more political, reflecting the rise of nationalism in the country.
In London, 1871, theatre manager Richard D’Oyly Carte, seeing the developments on the continent, brought together the literary and musical talents of W.S Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan, to form the great operetta duo Gilbert & Sullivan. Their operettas were so popular, that ten years later, he built the Savoy Theatre will the sole purpose of producing Gilbert & Sullivan operettas.
In Germany, the Bavarian operettas, and the Berlin operettas were very popular, reaching their high point with Paul Abraham and his “Viktoria und ihr Husar” in 1929. After the National Socialists took power, his extremely successful and popular works were labelled ’degenerate’, and were struck from the repertoire.
Towards the end of the first half of the 20th century, many musicians left Europe for the USA, and they took with them all the joys and experience of operetta, and a new genre was born, the Musical.
for: 4 Saxophones [AATBar]
Score, Parts
Item no.: 995654
for: Voice (mezzo-soprano), piano
Music score
Item no.: 601687
for: Symphonic orchestra
Item no.: 309056
for: Alto saxophone (E-flat)
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 608890
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 685701
for: Soloist (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 685146
for: 3 soloists, women's choir (SS), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 685142
for: 2 voices (ST), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 684820
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 648367
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 138188
for: Electric organ [keyboard]
Spielpartitur, Sammelband
Item no.: 120329
for: Electric organ
Buch
Item no.: 124843
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 124814
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 638977
for: Male choir (TTBB), piano
Piano score
Item no.: 183238
Lyric book
Item no.: 190959
for: Salon orchestra
Additional parts
Item no.: 1659683
for: Zither (5 chords)
Backing sheet
Item no.: 151129
for: Voice, big band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 801142
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1711653
for: Violin, piano
Item no.: 356608
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 822757
for: Solisten (2S2Mez2T2Bar), 2 Chöre und Orchester
Piano reduction
Item no.: 685158
for: Voice (high), piano
Item no.: 283509
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 283503
Lyric book
Item no.: 385877
for: Concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 587733
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 102388
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 102211
Comic Opera in 3 Acts
Piano reduction
Item no.: 755875
aus "Die Fledermaus"
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 755874
for: Piano/Vocal/Chords
Item no.: 1365212
for: Piano/Vocal/Chords
Item no.: 1362347
for: Piano/Vocal/Chords
Item no.: 1366338
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1582315
for: Alto saxophone (E-flat)
Sheet music
Item no.: 1582309
for: Piano, Trombone
Instrumental Solo & Piano Accompaniment
Item no.: 1613013
for: 4 recorders (SAAT)
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 1674
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 102766
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 102509
18 der schönsten Operetten-Gesänge
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 726015
from the opera "Fidelio”
for: Mixed choir (SABar) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 732564
Lied und Finale (2. Akt) aus "Die Fledermaus"
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) und Klavier
Score
Item no.: 746704
Marsch für Chor und Orchester
for: Choir, orchestra
Partitur Fassungen ABC
Item no.: 747956
Ouvertüre
for: Piano 4 hands
Single edition
Item no.: 738765
for: Brass band
Sheet music
Item no.: 594794
Arietta from the operetta "Die Fledermaus"
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Music score
Item no.: 724577
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 671783