“A performance that leaves room for the imagination”: press reviews of the acclaimed premiere of Der Zarewitsch

“This is operetta as you’ve probably never seen it before” (Kurier, April 15, 2026)

“With the engagement of Steef de Jong, Lotte de Beer has landed a real coup. The 42-year-old all-round artist succeeds in creating a touching, completely unconventional, and simply delightful interpretation of this rarely performed work.” (APA, April 15, 2026)

“Unanimous acclaim” (Die Presse, April 15, 2026)

“Perhaps operetta—the once-troubled, seemingly outdated child of musical theatre—can indeed be saved, if only an excess of diligence and love is invested? Anyone who suspects as much is likely to feel confirmed by the new Zarewitsch at the Volksoper: here we have Lehár as if straight out of a picture book—in the truest sense of the word.” (Kurier, April 15, 2026)

“Euphoric applause for all” (Der Standard, April 15, 2026)

“An open heart and a childlike gaze are enough to fall in love with de Jong’s paper mechanics and, within them, to rediscover theatre itself—or at least a form of it. One may or may not like de Jong’s visual style, but it is certain that with his means he demonstrates more craftsmanship than can be found in various other new productions.” (Die Presse, April 15, 2026)

“Franz Lehár’s operetta becomes a crowd-pleaser at the Vienna Volksoper in a charming guise. (…)” (Der Standard, April 15, 2026)

“Emotional cinema of the mind—with more than a few smiles along the way: theatre-maker Steef de Jong stages Franz Lehár’s Der Zarewitsch at the Volksoper Vienna with gentle sentiment and a playful spirit. (…) In the end, it is (…) de Jong’s consistently sustained, resource-conscious directorial approach—far removed from lavish spectacle—that shapes the evening and explains why not a few audience members begin rising for standing ovations early on.” (Concerti, April 15, 2026)

“The audience is highly satisfied and cheers especially for de Jong. Operetta can indeed be presented in a different way—Léhar’s music has not suffered in the process.” (Orpheus Opera Magazine, 17.4.2026)

“(…) de Jong continually surprises with new ideas before perception can settle into habit. In the end, a work that—even in its original version—is tinged with a gentle melancholy unfolds a very particular magic, a touching intimacy and a wistful lightness that one does not usually associate with the operetta genre.” (APA, April 15, 2026)

“…a performance that takes its time and leaves room for the imagination” (Kurier, April 15, 2026)

“This overall concept (…) is so unique and lovingly crafted that the rigid rules some like to impose on musical theatre are airily suspended: such a degree of joyful seriousness applied to an operetta is rarely seen. Those who value feeling in this genre more than form will find themselves enchantingly rewarded here.” (Kurier, April 15, 2026)

“David Kerber gives the tsar’s son an unpretentious, clear profile without lapsing into sentimentality. Hedwig Ritter, as Kautschukoff, sets more dynamic accents and is rightly celebrated for it. Enenkel and Khalil, meanwhile, impress as a comic servant duo with a flair for musical theatre and self-ironic exuberance.” (Concerti, April 15, 2026)

“David Kerber is the unhappy Aljoscha, whom he portrays and sings with a fine, secure tenor, his ‘Volga Song’ in particular earning much applause. Hedwig Ritter as his adored Sonja shines with a full, warm soprano. (…) As a further musical asset, this master operetta—with its catchy and familiar melodies—is performed by the Orchestra of the Vienna Volksoper under veteran Alfred Eschwé with great skill, momentum, and finely detailed, shimmering nuance.” (Kleine Zeitung, April 15, 2026)

“Alfred Eschwé at the podium lets Lehár’s darker sentiment flow from the pit without ever becoming sentimental: loving details such as the elegiac flute arabesques are integrated into a strong dramatic coherence.” (Die Presse, April 15, 2026)

“David Kerber delivers a sentimental Tsarevich, with a beautifully warm, melting quality in his tenor voice. (…) In the role of the singer, Sonja is a woman who already senses that this love cannot last long. Hedwig Ritter securely weaves all this awareness into her soprano. The comic pair Ivan and Masha are given room for movement. They are allowed to dance across the stage and clown around; Martin Enenkel and Juliette Khalil demonstrate their mastery of operetta craft.” (Orpheus Opera Magazine, 17.4.2026)

“Juliette Khalil as the strongest actress of the evening, Martin Enenkel as the best all-rounder.” (Die Presse, April 15, 2026)

“Hedwig Ritter brings a blooming tone to Sonja and even has a delicate pianissimo at her disposal (…)” (Die Presse, April 15, 2026)