German Operetta on Broadway and in the West End, 1900–1940 by Derek B. Scott

Abstract

Reviewed by: German Operetta on Broadway and in the West End, 1900–1940 by Derek B. Scott Andrea Cawelti German Operetta on Broadway and in the West End, 1900–1940. By Derek B. Scott. Cambridge, UK; New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2019. [x, 383 p. ISBN 978-1-108-48458-9 (hardcover). $120] From The Singing Bourgeois (Aldershot, Hamp -shire: Ashgate, 2001), to his recent appearance with Lucy Worsley in the second episode of A Very British Romance (BBC, 2015, broadcast in the U.S. in 2020), Derek B. Scott has been a frequent commentator on the sociology of music. His latest book, German Operetta on Broadway and in the West End, 1900–1940, explores musical connection and affinity during the Silver Age of operetta between the stages of Vienna and Berlin (among others), and those of London and New York. Scholarly attention to the ‘lighter’ genres of dramatic music, such as ballets and musicals, has exploded in the last decade and this work makes a welcome addition with its deeper dive. Readers with some previous knowledge of music will get the most out of it, and some familiarity with the German language will help (while Scott translates most of the quotes and titles, some have slipped through without intervention). His writing style is easily approachable even to a generalist, being blessedly free of jargon and sprinkled with entertainingly whimsical details throughout. The material is presented in two parts: the first, ‘The Production of Operetta’, analyses the ingredients of the operettas themselves, while the second, ‘The Reception of Operetta’, discusses the context and reception of the works, provides some explanation of the environment that made such an unexpected cultural affinity possible, and presents an argument for why operetta was so successful on both sides of the Atlantic during this time. Scott’s Introduction lays out the framework ‘in the context of audience expectations, aspirations, and anxieties . . . the social, cultural, and moral values of the period, and asks how operettas engaged with modernity, innovative technology, social change, and cultural difference’ (p. 2). Being more episodic in nature, Part 1 requires a somewhat more detailed exploration than Part 2. Chapter 1, ‘The Music of Operetta’, starts with the characteristics of musical style in operetta, including examples that range (unexpectedly) from solo voice parts, to voice with piano accompaniment, to piano scores with super-linear text. The examples are only identified by title, which can prove challenging to the browser where the textual discussion is not visually near the example. Scott incorporates jazz, the importance of dance, orchestrations, and libretto details, with an eye to breadth of information rather than depth. His gloriously extensive citations (employed throughout) function as a clearinghouse, frequently providing the reader with sources of more depth. Chapter 2, ‘Cultural Transfer: Translation and Transcreation’, discusses the process of the ‘transcreation’ of a work. Shows were never simply translated into English. Books and lyrics required varying amounts of adaptation regarding differing cultural expectations. English and American tastes often led to interpolated musical numbers either solicited from the original creator or created by a local team. Substantial changes were sometimes required; Scott illustrates some of these situations in significant detail with individual productions. The production underpinning required to support all of this is laid out in Chapter 3, ‘The Business of Operetta’. This section is particularly illuminating, as business details, historically overlooked, have now become a burgeoning area of study, challenging to research. Scott [End Page 260] examines performing rights and fees, copyright, and individual theatres associated with operetta, with a focus on financial details going right up through the Great Depression. How producers identified and chose suitable operettas is discussed (and this is also discussed from different angles in Part 2). Analysing the merchandising of operetta is broken down into details of unusual ticketing systems, music publication, photography, periodicals and reviews, and even how fashion in clothing and décor fed back and forth from the street to the stage. Chapter 4, ‘Producers, Directors, Designers, and Performers’, outlines the functions of these pillars of any dramatic production, with the critical eye of a seasoned teacher: many of their responsibilities were different in unexpected areas than they are today. Additionally, Scott...