''Casanova'' is an

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs and including dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, and length of the work. Apart from its shorter length, the oper ...

in three acts by

Ralph Benatzky Ralph Benatzky (5 June 1884 – 16 October 1957), born in Mährisch Budwitz ( Moravské Budějovice) as Rudolph Franz rantišekJosef Benatzky, was an Austrian composer of Moravian origin. He composed operas and operettas, such as '' Casanova'' ...

. It is based on the life of 18th century Italian adventurer and womanizer

Giacomo Casanova Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (; ; 2 April 1725 – 4 June 1798) was an Italian adventurer who was born in the Republic of Venice and travelled extensively throughout Europe. He is chiefly remembered for his autobiography, written in French and pu ...

. The work utilizes the music of the 1878 operetta '' Blindekuh'' written by

Johann Strauss II Johann Baptist Strauss II (; ; 25 October 1825 – 3 June 1899), also known as Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger or the Son (), was an List of Austrian composers, Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas as well ...

but with a different and new

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

Rudolph Schanzer Rudolf (or Rudolph) Schanzer (12 January 1875 – 1944) was an Austrian playwright and journalist. He is primarily known for the numerous operetta librettos that he wrote for composers such as Leo Fall, Jean Gilbert, Emmerich Kálmán, and Ralph ...

and Ernst Welisch. Its first performance was on 1 September 1928 at the

Großes Schauspielhaus The Großes Schauspielhaus (Great Theater) was a theater in Berlin, Germany, designed by architect Hans Poelzig for theater director Max Reinhardt. The structure was built as a market hall in 1867 and then served as a circus and event venue. Poel ...

in Berlin. ''Casanova'' was one of a series of spectacular "

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...

-operettas" Benatzky wrote for producer and revue director

Erik Charell Erich Karl Löwenberg (8 April 1894 – 15 July 1974), known as Erik Charell, was a German theatre and film director, dancer and actor. He is best known as the creator of musical revues and operettas, such as ''The White Horse Inn'' () and '' The ...

at the Großes Schauspielhaus. The star-studded original cast of ''Casanova'' included

Michael Bohnen Franz Michael Bohnen (2 May 1887 – 26 April 1965) was a Germans, German bass baritone opera singer and actor. Bohnen was very popular in the Roaring Twenties. Life Michael Bohnen was born in Cologne. He trained in opera singing at the Hochsc ...

, the well-known opera bass-baritone in the title role,

Anni Frind Anni Frind (3 February 1900 – 8 April 1987) was one of the most highly recorded lyric sopranos in Germany during the 1920s and 1930s. Anni Frind was born into a German family in Mikulášovice, Nixdorf, a small town in Bohemia (now Czech Republ ...

Anny Ahlers Anny Ahlers (21 December 1907 – 14 March 1933) was a German actress and singer. She was born in Hamburg. Career She was born to Wilhelm Ahlers and his wife Augusta Victoria (Lieberg). Her father was an Army officer and her maternal grandmother ...

, Paul Morgan, and Siegfried "Sig" Arno.

La Jana La Jana is a Municipalities of Spain, municipality in the Comarques of the Valencian community, ''comarca'' of Baix Maestrat in the Valencian Community, Spain. The Cervera Mountains rise just east of the town extending southwards. It is an agric ...

was a dancer, and the

Comedian Harmonists The Comedian Harmonists were an internationally famous, all-male German close harmony ensemble that performed between 1928 and 1934 as one of the most successful musical groups in Europe before World War II. The group consisted of ( tenor buf ...

appeared there with enormous success.Moritz Loeb: "''Casanova''", in: ''

Berliner Morgenpost ''Berliner Morgenpost'' is a German newspaper, based and mainly read in Berlin, where it is one of the most read daily newspapers. History and profile Founded in 1898 by Leopold Ullstein, the paper was taken over by Axel Springer AG in 1959 a ...

'', 5 September 1928. The Nuns' Chorus is a well-known excerpt from the work that has been performed on the concert stage. In December 2024 the work had a revival in Stuttgart with Michael Mayes in the title role, Esther Dierkes as Laura and Moritz Kallenberg as Lieutenant Hohenfals.Fath, Rolf. Report from Stuttgart. ''

Opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

'', April 2025, Vol.76 No.4, p.569-70.

References

External links

Record details of "Nun's Chorus ''Casanova''" by Anni Frind, soprano
on 45cat.com German-language operettas Compositions set in Austria 1928 musicals Musicals set in Europe 1928 operas Operas by Ralph Benatzky Operas by Rudolf Schanzer Compositions by Johann Strauss II Operas {{German-opera-stub