JOHANN STRAUSS OPERETTA CYCLE

Between 2001 and 2013 the Johann Strauss Society of Vienna presented all  fifteen operettas of Johann Strauss Jr., which were created by himself. They were performed as concert or scenic productions in original or chamber  music formations depending on the amount of subsidies. The project was sponsored by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education,Science and Research and the Cultural Department of the City of Vienna.

In 2020, the Society began to stage new productions of individual operettas by Johann Strauss, starting with Die Fledermaus.

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE STRAUSS BIOGRAPHY EVER WRITTEN

On behalf of the Johann Strauss Society of Vienna Prof.Franz Mailer, the then president of the Society, compiled the most comprehensive Strauss biography in 10 volumes, entitled „Johann Strauss Life and Works in Letters and Documents“. It is the most extensive Johann Strauss biography that had ever been written. The work, which had taken him a quarter of a century to write, was completed in 2007. It was the outcome of an enormous amount of research work into the life and musical activity of Johann Strauss. Franz Mailer took into account documents and letters from, to and about the composer. The source material was provided by all Viennese archives and collections. Even Germany (above all Coburg), England, France, the United States, Romania, Russia, the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic, Hungary and many private persons made a great deal of material that had been unknown before available for him.

In the biography, the fascinating personality of the world famous composer and at the same time touchingly modest man becomes apparent in all its facets. The numerous contemporary documents reveal an authentic and vivid picture of the artistic activity of the Waltz King and its lasting impact on the musical world and his epoch.

The work was published by Verlag Hans Schneider,Mozartstraße 6,D-82323 Tutzing
(for order call 0049-8158-3050)

JOHANN STRAUSS – COMPLETE RECORDING

The wold’s first complete recording of the orchestral works of Johann Strauss Jr.

All preserved compositions of the Waltz King with the exception of the „Josefinentänze“ and the stage works have been recorded on 52 CDs by the record company Marco Polo in cooperation with the Johann  Strauss Society of Vienna. As far as the preserved autographs, the engraver’s copies and the print editions allow, these works can be listened to in the original version defined or tolerated by JohannStrauss. In case there were only piano editions available, these had to be orchestrated for the sake of uniformity.

At the suggestion of Franz Mailer, the former president of the Johann Strauss Society of Vienna, this challenging task was carried out by Ludwig Babinsky, Gustav Fischer, Arthur Kulling, Christian Pollak and Michael Rot. Moreover, the orchestration of Max Schönherr was a valuable contribution. Thus compositions that had not been heard for years, because they had not been presented since their first performance or had been forgotten in the course of time, were performed again.

The Johann Strauss Complete Recording was accomplished in cooperation between the producer Klaus Heymann,Managing Director of HNH/MARCO POLO headquartered in Hongkong, Franz Mailer and the Johann Strauss Society of Vienna. Contributions were also made by the British and Swedish Strauss Societies. An informative supplementary booklet in German and English written by Franz Mailer and the Strauss researcher Peter Kemp is attached to each CD.  For the CD recordings mostly Slovakian orchestras were hired under the baton of Viennese conductors  . On two CDs performances of the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra have been recorded.

In 1996, the project of the first and so far only Johann Strauss Complete Recording was finished.

The Johann Strauss Complete Recording is available in all specialist shops.

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