Operetta is the vital link between Opera and the Musical, it originated in Paris, and became highly popular in London and Vienna. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all the wonderful operettas on offer with Stretta Music today!
In Paris in the middle of the 19th century, operetta, which is shorter and lighter than ’serious opera’, developed out of the highly popular opera comique. This new form, consisting of frivolous parodies of bel canto opera and Meyerbeer’s grand opéra, and contemporary society, was first penned by Jacques Offenbach.
In Vienna, news of Offenbach’s success spread quickly, and it inspired composers like Johann Strauss II to take up the call, and the first great Viennese operetta was his “Die Fledermaus”. In contrast to the French can-can, the Viennese operettas are famous for their Waltzes. As the operetta grew in popularity, composers tried to reach the more affluent audience, and operetta soon became less frivolous, and more political, reflecting the rise of nationalism in the country.
In London, 1871, theatre manager Richard D’Oyly Carte, seeing the developments on the continent, brought together the literary and musical talents of W.S Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan, to form the great operetta duo Gilbert & Sullivan. Their operettas were so popular, that ten years later, he built the Savoy Theatre will the sole purpose of producing Gilbert & Sullivan operettas.
In Germany, the Bavarian operettas, and the Berlin operettas were very popular, reaching their high point with Paul Abraham and his “Viktoria und ihr Husar” in 1929. After the National Socialists took power, his extremely successful and popular works were labelled ’degenerate’, and were struck from the repertoire.
Towards the end of the first half of the 20th century, many musicians left Europe for the USA, and they took with them all the joys and experience of operetta, and a new genre was born, the Musical.
Couplet (Zsupán) aus der Operette "Der Zigeunerbaron"
Transponierte Ausgabe
for: Voice (bass), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 4027
Terzett aus der Operette "The Mikado or the Town of Titipu"
for: Women's choir (SAA) [3 solo voices], piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1977
bearbeitet für Violine (Oboe, C-Blockflöte) und Klavier
for: Violin [descant recorder/oboe], piano
Piano score, Solo part (pdf download)
Item no.: 1974
aus der Operette "Die Fledermaus"
for: 3 voices (SMezT), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1633
Waltz
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 724267
Couplets des Prinzen Orlofsky aus "Die Fledermaus"
for: Voice (medium), piano
Sheet music, audio files
Item no.: 1396
from: Orpheus in the Underworld
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 733228
Couplet (Zsupán) aus der Operette "Der Zigeunerbaron"
for: Voice (tenor), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 4020
Arietta from the operetta "Die Feldermaus"
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Music score
Item no.: 724574
Csárdás from the operetta "Die Fledermaus"
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Music score
Item no.: 724569
Czárdás (Rosalinde) aus der Operette "Die Fledermaus"
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1976
Duett aus der Operette "Der Vogelhändler" ( Kurfürstin/Adam)
for: 2 voices (ST), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1429
Polka schnell, op. 214
for: 2 clarinets (B-flat), 2 trumpets (B-flat), 2 horns (F), 2 trombones, percussion
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 1592
Auftritt Ollendorfs aus der Operette "Der Bettelstudent"
Transponierte Ausgabe für tiefe Stimme
for: Voice (BarB), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 3274
Overture
for: Salon orchestra
Piano part for conductor, Parts
Item no.: 757172
Lied aus der Operette "Gasparone"
bearbeitet für Alt-Saxophon und Klavier
for: Alto saxophone, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1715
Terzett (Nr. 4) aus der Operette "Die Fledermaus"
for: 3 voices (SST), piano
Piano reduction (pdf download)
Item no.: 2358
Entréelied der Christel aus der Operette "Der Vogelhändler"
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 3258
"Vorbei der Mai" - Walzer nach Motiven aus "Das Spitzentuch der Königin"
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) und Klavier
Score
Item no.: 723237
leichte Bearbeitungen für chromatisches Akkordeon ab 8, 12 und 24 Bässe
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 735529
aus der Operette "Orphée aux enfers"
for: Accordion [keyboard]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1764
op. 449 (1893)
for: 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass [string orchestra]
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 1593
aus der Operette "Orphée aux enfers"
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1765
Couplets der Adele aus der Operette "Die Fledermaus" (2. Akt)
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1111
aus der Operette "Orphée aux enfers"
for: 2 violins [flute, clarinet (B-flat)], cello [bassoon], harpsichord [piano]
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 1526
from ‘H.M.S. Pinafore’
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722663
Eb
for: Voice, piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1027696
G
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1028659
A
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1048670
Gm
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1050124
Eb
for: Voice, piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1026298
Eb
for: Voice, piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1026277
C
for: Voice, piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1026085
from ‘Iolanthe’
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 739674
C
for: Voice, piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1026071
20 Sad, Happy and Humorous Songs from the World of the Victorian Operetta
for: Voice, piano
Ensemble score
Item no.: 759308
from ‘The Grand Duke’
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 738429
Eb
for: Voice, piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1026070
C
for: Voice, piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1026072
from ‘The Sorcerer’
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 759307
from ‘The Mikado’
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 747981
from ‘Ruddigore’
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 738428
F
for: Voice, piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1031011
C
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1025958
from ‘The Yeomen of the Guard’
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722662
from ‘Utopia Limited’
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722665
from ‘The Pirates of Penzance’
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 732171
Gm
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1035550