If Opera – The Chocolate Soldier

The Chocolate Soldier Oscar Strauss

Conductor James Ham
Director Jeff Clarke
Set Designer Elroy Ashmore
Lighting Designer Joe Price
Original Lighting Design Callum Macdonald

New English book and lyrics Jeff Clarke based on George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man
New orchestral arrangement James Widden

With the Bristol Ensemble

Sung in English with surtitles

If Opera’s sparkling comedy this year is Viennese to its core – not Johann – but Oscar Straus, and his hilarious operetta The Chocolate Soldier.

Oscar Straus’s 1908 opéra bouffe is closely based on George Bernard Shaw’s classic anti-war play Arms and the Man. Shaw was very opposed to his play being turned into a piece of musical theatre, and refused to have anything to do with it. The Chocolate Soldier soon became a worldwide success, earning far more in royalties than Shaw’s celebrated play ever did.

Shaw’s work is now out of copyright, and Jeff Clarke has created a new version of the show, restoring much of Shaw’s witty dialogue, and re-instating his original characters.