Strike up the Band

The satirical Gershwin musical Strike Up The Band dates from 1927, and yet: it could hardly be more topical. The American cheese manufacturer Fletcher wants to get rid of the annoying competition from Switzerland and to this end founds a private army with which he marches into the distant Alpine republic with its (from the US point of view) extremely strange inhabitants. His daughter has fallen in love with the journalist James Townsend, who publicly criticises Fletcher's campaign and the quality of his American cheese. Fletcher is furious. In the end, Townsend sides with Fletcher, defeats Switzerland as commander, and then goes to war against Russia. Why? Because the price of caviar is far too high, of course!

Gershwin's score is inspired by the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, but also contains a wealth of typical Gershwin melodies that have become evergreens, including "The Man I Love", "Strike Up The Band", "Soon" and "I've Got A Crush On You". A musical feast for the Linz Musical Ensemble, the Bruckner Orchestra and the choir of the Landestheater.