The Merry Art of Mischief: An Operetta Gala

Operetta is opera's mischievous younger sibling. Romance runs riot, conventions are turned upside down, identities are mistaken and nothing is quite as it seems. This storytelling gala follows the genre across Europe, from the champagne-fuelled escapades of Strauss's Die Fledermaus and the seductive glamour of Lehár's The Merry Widow to Offenbach's irreverent Parisian satires and the delicious absurdities of Gilbert and Sullivan's London.

Pianist and storyteller Pavel Timofeyevsky traces where it all began: Pergolesi's La serva padrona, French opéra comique, John Gay's The Beggar's Opera and the popular theatre of old Vienna. He shows how operetta became a cultural phenomenon by mocking aristocrats, politicians and the follies of love. He also follows its wit and melodies into the cabarets of Kurt Weill and the modern musical.

An international cast of singers joins Pavel for a programme of gems by Strauss, Lehár, Offenbach, Sullivan, Mozart, Pergolesi, Bizet, Weill and more. In keeping with Notable's Vienna Season, the evening also includes a selection of Viennese waltzes performed instrumentally.

Doors open at 18:15 for a wine and canapé reception, and the concert begins at 19:00. Masks, extravagant outfits and a touch of theatrical mischief are warmly encouraged.

Pavel Timofeyevsky is Artistic Director of Notable and Musical Director of Devon Opera. He is known for concerts that pair performance with storytelling, bringing the lives behind the music into the room.

Price: £95