Emmerich Kálmán
An operetta about the last waltz of the golden era
Premiere 23. 10. 2026
The Csárdás Princess is one of the most frequently performed and most beloved operettas in the world. In this work, Hungarian composer Emmerich Kálmán masterfully fuses enchanting waltzes, passionate csárdás dances, and catchy melodies with a love story that defies social rules and the era in which it was composed. The plot takes us into the world of stern aristocratic salons and frivolous nightclubs, where a young prince from a conservative family falls in love with a famous cabaret singer. Their relationship is placed under pressure by the power of tradition, convention, and the harsh reality of approaching historical changes.
Kálmán began composing the operetta in 1914 in Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad), completed it in Budapest, and its premiere took place in Vienna in 1915. The work thus emerged on the very threshold of the First World War and carries within it the nostalgia of the “golden age” nearing its end. Beneath the lightness and brilliance of the music lies a gentle melancholy and the awareness of life’s transience.
“...life is sweet and yet so short, enjoy it while there is still time...”
The Csárdás Princess is a period celebration of the joy of life, music, and love, but also a poetic farewell to an era that wishes to dance one last waltz.
