The musical variety of Robert Stolz's cheerful robber's tale Venus in Silk ranges from foxtrot to Csárdás. In addition to Sieglinde Feldhofer as Princess Jadja and Matthias Koziorowski as the false robber chief, state opera star Ildikó Raimondi as Countess Mizzi Pottenstein-Oroszy and SOKO Kitzbühel commander Ferry Öllinger as her cousin, Baron Vilmos Oroszy, also enjoy themselves in Robert Stolz's operetta, which should be rediscovered.
Princess Jadja Palotay is having a good time at her late husband's castle in Hungary. She is passing the time until her husband-to-be arrives with a carnival ball, which is also intended to distract her from the trouble over a restitution case brought by the young Count Teleky, son of the previous owner of the castle. At the court hearing, she is represented by a painting showing Jadja in a favorable pose as "Venus in Silk" - and it does not fail to have an effect: Teleky Junior is determined not only to get his father's castle back, but also to win the love of the original Venus. As a mysterious stranger, he gains access to the party, which mistakes him for the legendary robber Rózsa Sándor, a Hungarian Robin Hood who is up to mischief in the castle's surroundings. Teleky's wooing is crowned with success: Jadja is already envisioning her future as a robber chief's wife. Things become complicated when a second stranger appears at the castle, who in turn pretends to be Count Teleky ... Although it was only premiered in Zurich in 1932, this rarely performed comedy of mistaken identity has all the elements of a classic operetta. Lavish music, lavish ensembles and grand finales conjure up the charm of a bygone era, even at the time of the premiere.
Following his humorous production of Schwanda, der Dudelsackpfeifer in the 2021/22 season, director Dirk Schmeding and his team are now tackling this powerfully turbulent work from the pen of one of Graz's most famous sons.
Premiere March 16, 2024
Further performances: March 20, April 3, 19 and 21, May 5, 16, 22 and 24, June 8, 15, 19, 21 and 26, 2024
