The story of the Waltz Kings: today Donald Macleod explores Johann II's move away from the dance hall to write a stream of operettas, most of which are now forgotten.

It was Johann Strauss II's wife who first twisted his arm to get him writing for the stage. Relieving himself of relentless waltz-conducting duties, Strauss now became converted to the art form and in the 1870s and 1880s turned out a string of operetta hits, most of which are now forgotten. The great exceptions are Die Fledermaus and Zigeunerbaron.

J Strauss II: Indigo und die vierzig Räuber (Overture)
Lorin Maazel, conductor
Wiener Philharmoniker

J Strauss II: Der Carneval in Rom (Quartett "Schönste aller Frauen"; Duett "Von jenen Damen allen")
Isabella Ma-Zach, soprano (Marie)
Jessica Glatte, soprano (Gräfin)
Michael Heim, tenor (Arthur)
Manfred Equiluz, tenor (Graf)
Ernst Theis, conductor
Chor der Staatsoperette Dresden
Orchester der Staatsoperette Dresden

J Strauss II: Die Fledermaus (Finale Act Two: "The Queen of all creation..."; "Brother Mine...", "Enough, my friends...")
Deborah Hawksley, mezzo (Prince Orlovsky)
Adey Grummet, soprano (Adele)
David Fieldsend, tenor (Eisenstein)
Lynton Black, baritone (Frank)
Gordon Sandison, baritone (Falke)
Rosemarie Arthars, soprano (Rosalinde)
John Owen Edwards, conductor
The Orchestra and Chorus of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company

J Strauss II: Rosen aus dem Süden Walzer, Op 388
Lorin Maazel, conductor
Wiener Philharmoniker

J Strauss II: Zigeunerbaron (Finale: "Von des Tajo Strand"; "Hurra, die Schlacht mitgemacht"; "Heiraten Vivat")
Julia Varady, soprano (Saffi)
Hanna Schwarz, mezzo soprano (Czipra)
Josef Protschka, tenor (Sándor Barinkay)
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone (Count Peter Homonay)
Brigitte Lindner, soprano (Arsena)
Walter Berry, tenor (Kálmán Zsupán)
Klaus Hirte, tenor (Conte Carnero)
Ilse Gramatzki, mezzo soprano (Mirabella)
Willi Boskovsky, conductor
Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Münchner Rundfunkorchester

Producer: Dominic Jewel. Show less