Offenbach’s Secret

Academy Award winner István Szabo brings to the screen two of Jacques Offenbach’s operettas set against the backdrop of power and intrigue in nineteenth century Paris. Szabo's musical drama details the relationship between the composer and his patron Charles de Morny. The film follows the staging of Croquefer, ou Le dernier des Paladins and Les deux Aveugles at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens – founded by Offenbach in 1855. Limited by French law to one act with no more than three singers, Offenbach’s early operettas were filed with biting social commentary and poked fun at the moral ambiguity of France’s Second Empire under Napoleon III. In addition to Offenbach’s vivacious music, the film features lush customs, period details, and striking set designs.