Jacques Offenbach and the World of French Operetta

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Operetta became recognised as a musical genre around 1850 in Paris, and one of its first and arguably most famous proponents was Jacques Offenbach. Unlike the sometimes stuffy productions of L’Opéra de Paris, Offenbach’s compositions were light, airy and very funny – and immensely popular. Offenbach poked fun at the society of the day and music – such as the infamous Can Can – which has become iconic.

This session will give a whirlwind overview of some of Offenbach’s more memorable works, from his riffs on Greek mythology Orphée aux Enfers and La Belle Helène to the contemporary satire La vie parisienne. The talk will conclude with an overview of the one-act Pomme d’Api.

Peter Gordon is the director of Hong Kong Premiere of Pomme d’Api – 8th June 2022.

Speaker: Peter Gordon
Moderator: David Cordina