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: Symphonic orchestra
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 673798
for: Salon orchestra
Single part Cello
Item no.: 295516
for: Salon orchestra
Single part Double bass
Item no.: 294818
for: Salon orchestra
Single part Violin 2
Item no.: 223429
for: Accordion orchestra
Single part Accordion 1, 2
Item no.: 149909
Waltz from the Opera "Die Fledermaus"
for: Salon orchestra
Single part Cello
Item no.: 757223
Waltz
for: Salon orchestra
Single part Double bass
Item no.: 757150
Waltz
for: Salon orchestra
Single part Cello
Item no.: 757149
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 377928
for: Symphonic orchestra
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 673800
for: Accordion orchestra
Single part Accordion 2
Item no.: 219091
for: Accordion orchestra
Single part Accordion 4
Item no.: 219089
for: Accordion orchestra
Single part Accordion 4
Item no.: 220111
Single part
Item no.: 126330
Overture
for: Salon orchestra
Single part Viola
Item no.: 757176
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 649688
Single part Bass instrument 1
Item no.: 272651
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 673797
Christrose
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 695349
for: Keyboard
Music score
Item no.: 188344
Lieder, Songs & Evergreens
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 159545
Lieder, Songs & Evergreens
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Piano score
Item no.: 159547
Lyric book
Item no.: 343698
Book
Item no.: 773223
Un viaggio nel mondo dell'operetta
Book
Item no.: 1018774
from the operetta "Orpheus in the Underworld"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 754527