Felix Dörmann und das musikalische Unterhaltungstheater der Moderne: Mit einem Verzeichnis seiner Libretti

Felix Dörmann was not only one of the first but also a very important writer of the so-called "new libretto." This article discusses Dörmann's vast libretto production through the lens of the different positions in the animated discussions on high and popular culture during Viennese modernism. On the one hand, the "silver age of the libretto" (approx. 1906–18) also produced a high number of poor pieces, and critics complained about the declining standard of Viennese theaters that came with it. On the other hand, this genre, considered the first modern mass medium before the rise of cinema, fundamentally influenced the culture of amusement. With its references to national comedy traditions, the early twentieth-century Viennese libretto came to international fame, combining wit, zeitgeist, advertising strategies, and elements of the musical form. This article analyzes the textual components of Dörmann's libretti as well as the significance of his production in the context of the time.