Theater an der Wien · 1936 — 1938

Repertoire, season by season

Premieres and revivals under Arthur Hellmer's directorship of the Theater an der Wien.

Two seasons of spoken theater, comedy and operetta on the Linke Wienzeile — from the January 1936 opener Frühling im Wienerwald to the closure of the house five days after the Anschluss.

1936

Hellmer's first season as owner-director — comedies, a Volksstück, the start of a children's series, and the world premiere that launched Zarah Leander.

  • 26 Jan 1936Frühling im Wienerwald · Beda & Lunzer · music Leo AscherLustspiel mit Gesang in 3 Akten — 8 performances (to 11 Feb).
  • 9 Feb 1936Tanz-Matinée · veranstaltet von Riddy InpekovenOne-off dance matinée (1 performance).
  • 15 Feb 1936Liebe — Nicht genügend · Busch-FéketeKomödie in 3 Akten (6 Bildern) — 17 performances (to 23 Feb).
  • 7 Apr 1936Unentschuldigte Stunde · Bekéssy & StellaLustspiel in 5 Akten — the spring hit, 55 performances (to 24 May).
  • 30 May 1936Happy · Bella & Sam SpewackKomödie in 3 Akten — 7 performances (to 3 June).
  • 4 Jun 1936Die Kreszenz vom Rachlerhof · LöwingerVolksstück mit Gesang und Tanz in 4 Akten — 21 performances (to 21 June).
  • 1 Sept 1936Axel an der Himmelstür · Ralph Benatzky · libretto Paul Morgan & Adolf Schütz, lyrics Hans WeigelWorld premiere — 190 performances to 31 Jan 1937. Zarah Leander as Gloria Mills, opposite Max Hansen.
  • 13 Sept 1936Das ist ein Mädel · Sturm & FärberLustspiel — 2 performances (to 20 Sept).
  • 15 Nov 1936Till Eulenspiegel · Verfasser nicht genanntKindervorstellung — 7 performances (to 27 Dec).
  • 31 Dec 1936Raub der Sabinerinnen — Silvester-Revue · after SchönthanNew Year's Eve revue (1 performance).

1937

The operetta year — Roxy, Madame Sans-Gêne, the Winterhilfe gala Pam-Pam.

  • 25 March 1937Roxy und ihr Wunderteam · Paul Abraham · libretto Alfred Grünwald (after Szilágyi/Kellér) & Hans WeigelGerman-language world premiere of the first 'football operetta' — Rosy Barsony as Roxy, Oskar Denes as goalkeeper Jani Hatschek. Cond. Anton Paulik.
  • 5 Oct 1937Madame Sans-Gêne · Sardou, adapted as a musical comedy by Hans Weigel · music Bernard GrünChristl Mardayn as Catherine Hübscher, Leo Reuss as Napoleon. Sets Fritz Judtmann; act-curtain by Lisl Weil.
  • 3 Nov 1937Pam-Pam · Fritz Spielmann & Stephan Weiss · libretto Max KolpeWorld premiere — Festvorstellung in aid of the Winterhilfe, with Kirsten Heiberg, Erich Dörner, Franz Engel.

1937 — 1938

  • 1937–38Theater für junge Leute — Wir spielen Max und Moritz! · after Wilhelm Busch, adapted Hans Burger · music Gino SmartChildren's-theater series with Evi Bodo as Helene and Peter Preses as cousin Fridolin.

1938

The final months — one last premiere, then the Anschluss.

  • 8 Feb 1938Dixie · Michael Krasznay-Krausz · libretto Karl Farkas & Adolf Schütz'Musical detective story' — last major premiere before the Anschluss. Cast: Lizzie Waldmüller, Oscar Karlweis, Paul Morgan.
  • 17 March 1938Closure · Five days after German troops enter Vienna, Hellmer is humiliated at the stage door and forced out. The house is shut as a music-theater by 31 May 1938.

Sources: Konvolut Besetzungszettel, Theater an der Wien (Hellmer family archive); chronological house listing (1936), p. 478.