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.
Couplet from the operetta "The Bat"
for: 3 voices (SMezBar), concert band; choir ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1665553
Zwischen Kunst und Kommerz
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 457422
for: Salon orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1672037
for: Double Bass Quartet
Score, Parts
Item no.: 963206
for: Male choir (TTBB), piano
Piano score
Item no.: 686990
for: Salon orchestra
Additional parts
Item no.: 366620
for: Flexible ensemble
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 478829
for: Salon orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 358573
"Frau Sonne lacht zum Fenster hell herein" - Walzer
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) und Klavier
Score
Item no.: 746715
Waltz from "Die Fledermaus"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 740464
for: Salon orchestra
Item no.: 190966
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 128154
for: Piano
Item no.: 128170
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Piano score
Item no.: 176553
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir part Tenor/Bass
Item no.: 464800
for: Male choir (TTBB), piano
Piano score
Item no.: 797149
for: Concert Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1012014
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1024989
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 817570
for: Accordion orchestra
Score
Item no.: 126320
A song from the operetta "The Birdseller"
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 199808
for: Voice (tenor), piano
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 770858
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 197386
Lyric book
Item no.: 283375
Lyric book
Item no.: 167265
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 306235
for: 5 woodwinds (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 207312
for: 5 woodwinds (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 207184
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 358151
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 685174
for: Voice (tenor), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 685161
for: 2 soloists (TT), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 685143
for: 2 soloists (TT), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 685135
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 685722
for: Soloist (baritone), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 685126
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 685104
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 688929
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 684816
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 690981
for: Voice
Buch + CD
Item no.: 362527
for: für Klavier, Harmonium und Streichquartett
Score
Item no.: 444978
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 916383
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 296240
for: 2 voices, piano
Score
Item no.: 283500
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 283366
for: Concert band
Item no.: 304417
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 649836
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