Emmerich Kálmán's works, including 'Kaiserin Josephine', vanished from the repertoire in Germany after 1933 and in Austria after 1938 due to Nazi purges.
Compositional Technique
The operetta 'Kaiserin Josephine' uses a musical leitmotif: the melody of Josephine's first waltz song, 'Schöne Marquise, arme Marquise', which appears throughout the work.
Composer Biography
Emmerich Kálmán, a Hungarian composer, was once considered the leading figure in Vienna's second age of operetta, alongside Franz Lehár.
Critical Reception
The premiere of 'Kaiserin Josephine' in 1936 in Zurich was a 'succès d'estime' with 27 performances, but the work was considered to have been passed by its time.
Compositional Technique
Kálmán's musical fingerprint is evident in 'Kaiserin Josephine' through its lavish orchestration, which includes saxophone, harp, banjo, and organ.
Performer Biography
Miriam Portmann, the soprano on this recording, began her stage career at a young age, singing at the Theater an der Wien by 16 and the Vienna Volksoper by 18.
Composition History
Despite being premièred in 1936, 'Kaiserin Josephine' does not incorporate contemporary musical styles like jazz or swing, instead evoking an older operetta world.
You might also enjoy...
J. Strauss II: Die Fledermaus
Strauss: Die Fledermaus
Straus: Der Tapfere Soldat
Straus, O.: Lustigen Nibelungen (Die) [Operetta]
Lehár: Cloclo (Live)
Strauss, J.: Die Fledermaus
Johann Strauss II: Die Fledermaus (Highlights)
Roussel: Le testament de la tante Caroline, L. 59 (1964 Version) [Live]
