Operette und die (Wiener) Theaterzensur - Politik auf der Bühne?

Abstract

The study examines the impact of censorship on Viennese operetta theatres and theatre plays. The Niederösterreichisches Landesarchiv in St Pölten preserves about 15.000 censorship files from the late 1850s until the 1920s, documenting the act of censorship for various theatrical genres. After presenting the institutions and practices of censorship in the Habsburg Empire, three case studies demonstrate how censorship decisions were made according to the expected audience in different theatres and the political climate. Majestät Mimi (Felix Dörmann, Roda-Roda / Bruno Granichstaedten, 1911), Der Vogelhändler (Moritz West, Ludwig Held / Carl Zeller, 1891) and Der Obersteiger (West, Held / Zeller, 1894) have been chosen for their topival relevance. Although music was never part of the actual censorship act, it probably still played a role in the decisions made about the operettas.