Mannes Opera Premieres Korngold's 'The Silent Serenade'

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The Mannes School of Music at the New School presented the U.S. premiere of Erich Wolfgang Korngold's 1940s operetta "The Silent Serenade" on Friday at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater. The production, conducted by Cris Frisco, featured a talented cast of student singers who brought Korngold's melodic and rhythmic score to life through a charming staging by director Emma Griffin.

Why it matters

Korngold, a renowned composer of 20th-century operas and film scores, has seen a resurgence of interest in recent years. "The Silent Serenade" represents a lesser-known side of his work, showcasing his talent for light, comedic operetta. The Mannes production provides a rare opportunity for American audiences to experience this piece, which had its English-language premiere at the event.

The details

Korngold's operetta blends elements of opera, operetta, and revue, with a plot involving a famed actress, Silvia Lombardi, her authoritarian fiancé, Lugarini, and a masked intruder. The Mannes production, performed without amplification, featured strong vocal performances from the student cast, led by mezzo-soprano Dasha Tereshchenko as Silvia and baritone Sean Seungho Cha as Andrea Coclé. The staging by Emma Griffin included innovative touches, such as framing the character of Lugarini with a gilded picture frame.

• The Mannes production of "The Silent Serenade" premiered on Friday, March 16, 2026.
• The production will be streamed on the Mannes website on March 23, 2026.

What’s next

The Mannes production of "The Silent Serenade" will be streamed on the school's website on March 23, 2026, providing a wider audience the opportunity to experience Korngold's rarely performed operetta.