Operetta by Oscar Straus
The name Straus(s) seems to be a veritable obligation to create wonderful works for music history! Born in Vienna on April 6, 1870, Oscar Straus initially studied piano and composition in his home town before continuing his composition studies in Berlin with Max Bruch. During the First World War, Straus, a cosmopolitan and civilian, was one of the few members of the guild to refrain from writing militaristic pieces.
"A Waltz Dream" is the composer's most internationally successful operetta, with around 1000 performances. A Hollywood film adaptation entitled "The Smiling Lieutenant" with director Ernst Lubitsch and Maurice Chevalier in the leading role also brought further fame. Wonderful waltzes, catchy melodies and sensual-sounding emotions still thrill operetta audiences today. Countless offers for film scores followed from Hollywood, but Straus was no longer able to accept them at the end of his career.
The work revolves around the Viennese lieutenant Niki, who is to marry the daughter of a German prince for strategic reasons. However, Niki feels extremely uncomfortable in the German provinces and does not want to be reduced to the role of savior of the principality. So on his wedding night, he runs away and meets a Viennese ladies' band, whose Viennese music and spirited conductor really turn his head ...
