https://www.scmp.com/rss/522471/feed The latest news and top stories on Michael Koehler, a highly acclaimed German musician. Known for his outstanding performances and the distinctive warm sound of his orchestras, he serves as artistic director of the Leipzig Philharmonic Orchestra and general music director of the Shanxi Symphony Orchestra. With a Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology, he also teaches at the Leipzig University of Music and Drama. His extensive international career includes leading major orchestras across Europe, Asia... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Even without the flutes of bubbly normally featured in Viennese operettas, there are plenty of good reasons the 150-year-old musical genre is dubbed “champagne opera”. The effervescent delight of the songs, dance, intrigue and lighthearted shenanigans is timeless. But for the 19th-century art form to still hit the spot, it has to sparkle with spontaneity while preserving its classical soul. Opera Hong Kong’s semi-staged presentation of Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow made for a fun night out –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3322232/opera-hong-kongs-merry-widow-entertains-fails-capture-soul-original?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3322232/opera-hong-kongs-merry-widow-entertains-fails-capture-soul-original?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 10:15:08 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Opera Hong Kong is set to bring a treat to the city’s classical music scene this summer with two performances of Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár’s beloved operetta, The Merry Widow, at City Hall on August 15 and 16. For those intimidated by or unfamiliar with the art form, an operetta offers an inviting first step: short, humorous and more conversational in music and story than capital-O opera. Based on an 1861 French comic play, L’attaché d’ambassade, by Henri Meilhac, The Merry Widow has... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3321208/opera-hong-kong-brings-merry-widow-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3321208/opera-hong-kong-brings-merry-widow-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2025 08:09:37 +0000