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.
Arietta from the operetta "Die Fledermaus"
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Music score
Item no.: 724577
for: Male choir; piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1670487
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 226903
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 128200
Item no.: 613571
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1185473
from the operetta "Orpheus in the Underworld"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 754527
Couplet aus der Operette "Drei alte Schachteln"
for: Voice, piano [guitar/accordion/keyboard]
Item no.: 139152
for: 2 trumpets (B-flat), horn (F), trombone, tuba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1652242
for: Flexible ensemble (5 voices); vocals ad lib.
Conductors part
Item no.: 693852
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 563079
for: Accordion
Item no.: 337363
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 564072
for: Mixed choir; piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 133547
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 635439
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 307355
Lyric book
Item no.: 128173
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 128207
for: Electric organ [keyboard]
Spielpartitur, Sammelband
Item no.: 120329
for: 3 soloists, women's choir (SS), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 685142
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 685724
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 685701
for: 2 soloists (ST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 685454
for: Soloist (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 685146
for: 2 voices (ST), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 684820
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 684814
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 648367
for: Solisten (2S2Mez2T2Bar), 2 Chöre und Orchester
Piano reduction
Item no.: 685158
for: Violin, piano
Item no.: 209565
for: Voice, big band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 801142
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 138188
for: Symphonic orchestra
Item no.: 309056
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392299
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 102211
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
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