The story of a musical rivalry that spanned a century
Third of eight weekly programmes
At a time when the whole world looked to Paris and Vienna for its music-the music of the cafes, dance halis, theatres, and boulevards, this rivalry was concentrated in the lives of Jacques Offenbach (composer of Tales of Hoffmann '), Johann Strauss (the waltz king '), and his son Johann II (composer of ' Die Fledermaus and ' The Blue Danube ').
Lorely Dyer (soprano)
Thomas Round (tenor)
Ronald Evans (baritone)
BBC Chorus
(Chorus-Master, Leslie Woodgate )
BBC Concert Orchestra
(Leader, John Sharpe )
Conductor, Gilbert Vinter with Keith Pyott as the Voice of Paris and Rudolph Offenbach as the Voice of Vienna
Written by Maurice Gorham
Devised by Kenneth Pakeman
Produced by Malcolm Baker-Smith and Kenneth Pakeman