Eine Nacht in Venedig [A Night in Venice] (complete operetta)

"Johann Strauss's A Night in Venice has hovered on the edge of the operetta repertoire, versions tinkering with the score never having improved upon the original. The story is complicated, but revolves around the Duke of Urbino wanting to take to his bed the beautiful young Barbara, wife of the aging Senator Delaqua. He leaves his barber to set the whole thing up at the masked ball, but behind those masks all of the guests are not quite whom they seem to be, particularly the one the Duke believes to be Barbara, who in reality is Annina the barber's girlfriend. When a second 'Barbara' appears, who, in fact, is still is not the real Barbara, the Duke becomes totally confused. In the end it is the women who make fools out of the men, and much to their satisfaction. The present 'live' performance made in 2002 comes from the University College of Opera in Stockholm, and makes the plot sound even more confusing as the four leading roles are shared by a series of students with different voices. Then they add the further twist to the story with Delaqua turned into a breeches role. The linking dialogue that might have sorted out the story is omitted, so you might now be totally confused. So why not just sit back and enjoy the gorgeous music in an enthusiastic performance. Many of the singers have gone on to make opera careers, though Daniel Buckard as the Duke-sounding rather like Richard Tauber-has dropped out of music. All are well versed in the Viennese operetta style, and conductor, Mika Eichenholz, employs suitably bouncy and brisk tempos. The orchestra is drawn from Stockholm's major symphony orchestras, and by omitting thirty minutes of dialogue has provided room for the inclusion of six of Strauss's dances, appropriately including the Annina and Pappacoda Polkas, two of the operetta's characters. Plenty of applause; little stage noise, and balance between singers and orchestra well-managed. Synopsis but no libretto."
David's Review Corner, December 2009