Zu Gast: Feuer, Lebenslust …

Diana Damrau in Johann Strauss' first diva roles

 

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An extraordinary woman made a significant contribution to Johann Strauss' successful start as an operetta composer, both as a patron and a driving force: Marie Geistinger, the first director of the Theatre an der Wien and the most famous German-speaking operetta diva at the time. Strauss wrote the main roles of his first four pieces for her, including Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus with the famous Csárdás. She guaranteed him a full house and international interest. Diana Damrau, a world-famous soprano, is presenting a special concert to mark the anniversary year with excerpts from these four Geistinger roles. However, the director also had rivals for whom Strauss also wrote attractive numbers - which Geistinger disliked and sometimes behind her back: Caroline Charles-Hirsch and Caroline Finaly. Diana Damrau also slips into their roles, uniting all the historical divas in a modern-day one and thus mapping out the diva horizon of classical Viennese operetta full of fire and joie de vivre.

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