BATHROOM With the third production of the 2022 season, Viennese women, the Lehár Festival presented a special work by Bad Ischl’s honorary citizen Franz Lehár on Friday, August 12 in the Kongress & Theaterhaus Bad Ischl, in semi-staged form with a large orchestra and a star cast.
Alongside Der RAstlbinder, Viennese women are Lehár’s first operetta. The famous Alexander Girardi played the leading role in the premiere at the Theater an der Wien.
Claire was once in love with her piano teacher Willibald Brandl, who seduced her with a waltz, but went to America and met a fateful death there. The wealthy Philip Rosner then conquered her heart, but shortly before their wedding Claire heard the unforgettable waltz of the supposedly deceased. Rosner then leaves no stone unturned to convince his beloved Claire. The daughters of the music teacher Nechledil are supposed to fall in love with Willibald, who is still alive and waltz-loving. However, the entanglements become so intricate that they are only resolved by the impartial but very enterprising Dr. Winterstein find a happy ending.
The operetta impresses with wit, passion and temperament. Even in this early work of Lehár’s, his brilliant handwriting is unmistakable. On stage, audience favorites Sieglinde Feldhofer & Thomas Blondelle shone in the lead roles. Susanna Hirschler, KS Josef Forstner & Gerd Vogel convinced with pointed comedy. Strikingly at the center of Angela Schweiger’s production: the fantastic choir of the Lehár Festival and the wonderful Franz Lehár Orchestra under the musical direction of Marius Burkert.
An entertaining and ironically staged classic with catchy melodies, excellent timing and sensational punch lines.
The German classical music label cpo will release a recording of the production on CD.
Other dates: August 18 at 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m