Lehar: Sterngucker (Der) [Operetta] / Overture to Rosenstock

REVIEWS: The appearance of this rarity has been eagerly awaited and now enthusiastically discussed on the Operetta website. Although there is a certain amount of doubling up of characters, this does not detract from the enjoyment of the work. The operetta opens with an atmospheric introduction. Trembling upper octave notes on piano and violins give a simple yet appropriate sound-picture of the heavens. It serves as texture for Kitty's opening number and Franz's ballad, A summer's day on the shining sea where it obviously depicts the shimmering sea. The story is slight and takes place in a girls' finishing school. A school ball with a Damselfly dance is an occasion for the girls to parade their charm to prospective admirers. One of the girls, Lily, is engaged but already her fiancé has his eyes on a girl in the opera! The commonsense Lily decides that he must find her another man if they are to break off the engagement. So commences an involved yet trivial plot. An innocent Franz become