Franz Lehár loses his anniversary year

Franz Lehár loses his anniversary year

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norman lebrecht

May 19, 2020

The operetta composer, born April 1870, was facing a summer of frothy celebration – nowhere more so than at the 59th Franz Lehár Festival at Bad Ischl in Upper Austria.

Sadly, the festival was called off last night, due to Coronavirus.

Lehár’s next big date will be 2023, which is 75 years after his death in 1948.

 

Comments

  • Ron Swanson says:

    That’s a shame, a light pleasant Austo Hungarian confection is just what is needed currently.

  • Jaura says:

    Now that I’m retired I’m so relieved that I don’t ever have to play that nauseating Merry Widow ever again!! It makes my skin crawl. And never mind the jokes! Utterly tasteless.

    • Bill says:

      If that’s how you feel about playing it, your audience is undoubtedly relieved that they no longer have to hear you doing so.

      • Jerome Hoberman says:

        Professionals play, as beautifully and engagingly as they can, whether they like the music they’re paid to play or not. Assuming that you’ve ever heard music played live, you can have absolutely no idea of the opinions about the music of the musicians you heard. That’s because they’re professionals, and artists, and they did their jobs.

  • David A, Boxwell says:

    Hitler’s favorite composer after Stalingrad! He wanted whimsy, glamour, charm, escapism!

  • Edgar Self says:

    Unlikely to share the Leader’s taste, Ayn Rand loved what she called her champagne bubbly Viennese ,music and often mentioned it.

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