Operetta disaster! Volksoper fails on the Csárdásfürstin

Operetta disaster! Volksoper fails on the Csárdásfürstin

The director Johannes Erath, with his production by Emmerich Kálmán's "The Csárdásfürstin" at Volksoper Vienna, ensured a furious but unsuccessful event. The operetta, which was returned to an era of the First World War, gives the audience more confusion than pleasure. As krone.at reports, the performance fizzled out under a leading seriousness, which suffocated any happy moments and left the audience with irreversible malaise. The big question remains why the conductor Tobias Wögerer supported such a emotional atmosphere with the music.

The characters remained pale on stage, even the impressive performance of Annette Dasch as Sylva was hardly audible. The spectators acknowledged the idea, which felt more like a funeral march. Erath tried to integrate the critical issues of the war into the operetta, but this not only disfigured the plot, but also scare the audience. Unlike Peter Konwitschny, who had reinterpreted the "Csárdásfürstin" in the past, Erath missed the approach of maintaining the audience, which left a bitter aftertaste on the stage in the Volksoper.

A look at the director

Johannes Erath, who is known for his innovative work, has celebrated significant success in the past. As Volksoper.at , he has made a name for himself with productions at the Bavarian State Opera and the Graz opera. The Götz Friedrich winner from 2008 celebrated great triumphs with works such as "Lulu" and "The Dead City". His decision to interpret “the Csárdásfürstin” in such a drastic way therefore seems all the more puzzling, since she contradicts his previous, published practice, to make content accessible.