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: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 102766
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 102509
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 102392
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 102388
for: Violin, piano
Item no.: 356608
for: Piano
Item no.: 356474
for: Accordion
Item no.: 288287
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 287993
for: Piano
Item no.: 137417
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 157191
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 131222
Piano reduction
Item no.: 281947
for: Salon orchestra
Piano score (conductor)
Item no.: 296296
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet); double bass ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 364446
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Piano score
Item no.: 307845
for: Piano
Item no.: 307208
for: Voice (high), piano
Item no.: 283509
for: Voice (low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 283505
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 283503
for: Piano [accordion]
Item no.: 283486
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 638977
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 822757
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1198111
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 671783
for: Brass band
Sheet music
Item no.: 594794
for: Concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 587733
Opéra-bouffe in 4 Akten
Spiralbindung
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1678573
for: 2 clarinets
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1073395
für Akkordeon
Saison In Salzburg
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 643929
Salon-Orchester
for: Salon orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 1670441
Nr. 3 aus "La Gruta de los Milagros" für Salonorchester
Opereta de Argentinia
for: Salon orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 684261
for: Mixed choir, piano
Piano score
Item no.: 604357
aus "Orpheus in der Unterwelt"
for: Youth concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 443359
Schlager Und Film Combo 14
for: Combo
Set of parts
Item no.: 303596
Blasmusik
for: Concert band
Set of parts
Item no.: 182350
Großes Potpourri aus der Operette
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1013291
Burleske Operette in einem Akt
Opera Explorer
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 558569
for: Voice (tenor), piano
Music score
Item no.: 583867
Essays zur Rehabilitierung eines Komponisten
Jacques Offenbach-Studien 5
Book
Item no.: 560731
Ein Strauß blühender Operettenmelodien
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1559967
for: Male choir (TTBB), piano
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 931026
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 767911
Item no.: 621173
für Klarinette in B und Klavier
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 675003
for: 3 flutes (trio)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 104551
Couplet from "The Gypsy Baron"
for: Voice (tenor), concert band; mixed choir (SSATB) ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1665584
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1025065
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 882278