A concert celebrating the 140^th birthday of the most prominent master of Vienna’s Silver Age of Operetta, held at his former home

 

Since its foundation in 1936, the Johann Strauss Society of Vienna has devoted itself not only to preserving and promoting the works of its namesake, but also to the musical world in which he lived and worked – in particular, to the music of other distinguished composers of Vienna dance and operetta music. It was therefore only natural that the works of Franz Lehár, the most important successor to Johann Strauss in the realm of Viennese operetta, should be part of the Society’s activities. Lehár’s music was first performed at a Vienna Strauss Society event in 1950, as part of the Society’s Viennese Music Festival Week (Festwoche der Wiener Musik). At the inaugural concert of the Classical Operetta Ensemble Vienna in 1996, Lehár was included in the programme as the third composer alongside Johann Strauss und  Jacques Offenbach. The first concert devoted entirely to Lehár’s music took place in 2002, followed in 2006 by the first full performance of one of his operettas.

To mark the 140^th anniversary of Lehár’s birth, the Johann Strauss Society of Vienna organized a concert at the Lehár Schlössl in Vienna (0ur cover photo shows the building’s vestibule). This architectural gem lies at the foot of the Kahlenberg in Vienna’s Nussdorf district. Lehár  acquired the building, together with its surrounding park, in 1931. He was not, however, the first prominent owner of this imposing square-shaped building, whose foundations date back to the late Middle Ages. Emanual Schikaneder, the librettist of Mozart’s Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), had previously acquired the property with the considerable proceeds generated by this work. Consequently, the Schlössl’s museum room houses exhibits commemorating not only Franz Lehár, but also Emanuel Schikaneder and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

It was in this impressive historic setting that, on 1^st May 2010, members of the Classical Operetta Ensemble Vienna commemorated the 140^th anniversary of Franz Lehár’s birth with a concert ( Lehár was born in Komorn on 30^th April 1870). They were accompanied on Lehár’s historic piano by Prof. Leopold Großmann, a leading authority on the authentic interpretation of Viennese operetta. The instrument had been restored only  the previous year and formally rededicated at a concert organized by the Strauss Society. The programme featured exclusively excerpts from Franz Lehár’s operettas, performed by Cornelia Hübsch (soprano); Gisela Theisen (mezzo-soprano), and Peter Widholz (tenor).

Interest in the concert had been enormous even before the event: it had sold out three weeks in advance. At the end of the concert, the applause seemed to have no end and ultimately called for an encore. The performers responded  by thanking the audience for its enthusiastic reception with the “Women’s March” from The Merry Widow. The enthusiasm and appreciation for the artistic achievements were also reflected in the critical response. Thus, the July issue of  Der Neue Merker  reported:

HOMAGE TO FRANZ LEHÁR

To celebrate Franz Lehár’s 140^th birthday (30 April 1870 – 24 Oct.1948) the Johann Strauss Society of Vienna organized a concert at the composer’s home in Vienna. It was thoroughly programmed by the Society’s president, Peter Widholz, who, apart from performing as a singer, confidently guided the audience through the performance by providing precise details on the individual pieces. This time, he was tracing the very soul of the composer. In his well-thought-out comments, which also contained elements of theatre history, he clearly highlighted the moments that reveal the composer’s frame of mind and his deep emotional involvement in such rarely performed  pieces as “Das Fürstenkind” (1909), “Zigeunerliebe” (1910), “Wo die Lerche singt” (1918), “Schön ist die Welt” (1939, new version of “Endlich allein”) and in the delightful Singspiel “Friederike” (1929), which is back again in the repertory of some theatres.

The two charming singers Cornelia Hübsch (soprano) and Gisela Theisen ( mezzo-soprano) made delightful vocal companions for the tenor Peter Widholz. Professor Leopold Großmann, who had once conducted Lehár’s works in Baden near Vienna, drew unexpected harmonies from the piano, which had only recently been restored and had once belonged to Lehár. He proved to be an exceptionally sensitive accompanist.

Of course, such long-running favourites as “Wolgalied” (from Zarewitsch”, “Lippen schweigen” ,”Vilja-Lied” and the encore Weibermarsch (from Die Lustige Witwe) could not be missed. However, songs like “Warum hast du mich wach geküsst” from „Friederike“ (G.Theisen), „Ich bin verliebt“ from „Schön ist die Welt“ (C. Hübsch) and the faltering “Prince’s child“ –  Schweig‘  zagendes Herz!“ (Peter Widholz) left a deeper impression, which revealed Lehár‘s innermost soul.

Anton Wendler

Previous productions by the Johann Strauss Society of Vienna
devoted exclusively to the music of Franz Lehár:

2002 :
“100 Years of Lehár Operettas” –  concert commemorating the 100^th anniversary of the premiere of Lehár’s first operetta

2006:
Staged production of the operetta “The Merry Widow”

2009:
Concert at the Vienna Lehár Schlössl to mark the inauguration of the composer’s newly restored grand piano

2010:
“ A Tribute to Franz Lehár on his 140^th Birthday”- Gala concert at the Vienna Lehár Schlössl

2011:
“Birthday Concert for Franz Lehár” – a concert held at the Vienna Lehár Schlössl on Lehár’s birthday, marking two anniversaries: the centenary of the premiere of his operetta “Eva”  and the 80^th anniversary of the Lehár Schlössl

2024:
Concert performance of “The World is Beautiful”

 

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