Offenbach - The King of Operetta

Join ADFAS Camden (Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Societies), in this months’ lecture Offenbach - The King of Operetta; given by lecturer Ian Gledhill (The Arts Society). Born in Germany but a naturalised French citizen, Offenbach did more than any other composer to create and popularise the genre of operetta. This lecture looks at his life and work. Offenbach was often called ‘the Mozart of the Champs-Élysées’ – the most fashionable boulevard in Paris – because he could write music with great fluency and with instant appeal. In his many operettas, he gave his Parisian audiences exactly what they wanted: music that sparkles like champagne and is tailor-made to please. He also wrote more serious opera, with The Tales of Hoffman being regarded as his greatest work. Ian Gledhill has had a very varied career, from designing underground railways as an engineer for London Transport, to appearing in pantomime with Julian Clary. He has worked in travel and tourism, music publishing, television, and especially the theatre, as an actor, director, set designer, stage manager and opera translator. His main interests include architecture, history, transport and classical music, especially opera and operetta.