Johann Strauss II

Johann Baptist Strauss II (; German: [ˈjoːhan bapˈtɪst ˈʃtʁaʊs]; 25 October 1825 – 3 June 1899), also known as Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger or the Son (German: Johann Strauß Sohn), was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas, as well as a violinist. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas and a ballet. In his lifetime, he was known as "The Waltz King", as he played a major role in popularizing the waltz in the 19th century. Some of Johann Strauss's most famous works include "The Blue Danube", "Kaiser-Walzer" (Emperor Waltz), "Tales from the Vienna Woods", "Frühlingsstimmen" (Voices of Spring), and the "Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka". Among his operettas, Die Fledermaus and Der Zigeunerbaron are the best known. Strauss was the son of Johann Strauss I and his first wife Maria Anna Streim. The two younger brothers, Josef and Eduard Strauss, also became composers of light music, although they were never as well known as their brother.

Life & Operatic Output

Johann Strauss II (1825–1899) stands among the composers represented in the OperaPedia catalogue, with 9 stage works entered into the archive. Working in the Austrian tradition, the composer's operatic output is preserved here in editorial entries that draw on public-domain reference sources and contemporary scholarship.

The Romantic moment in which Johann Strauss II worked offered a particular set of theatrical and musical conventions: the orchestration vocabularies, the formal expectations of audiences, the standards of vocal writing and stagecraft prevailing in the leading houses, and the close relationship between composer and librettist that defined the working life of every opera composer of the period. The works listed below should be read against that broader cultural and institutional background.

Each individual entry on this page links to a complete article giving the synopsis, premiere details, language of performance, and notable arias for the work in question. Readers consulting OperaPedia for the first time may wish to begin with the most frequently performed of Johann Strauss II's operas before working outward into the lesser-known corners of the catalogue.

Listeners and students approaching the operatic output of Johann Strauss II will find that the entries linked below trace a coherent arc through the composer's career. Each opera's individual page in OperaPedia includes the synopsis, the librettist's contribution, the date and venue of the premiere, the language of performance, and notes on the principal arias and ensembles. Where the source data permits, we also note the relationship of each work to the broader currents of Romantic opera.

Operas in the OperaPedia Catalogue

The following 9 operas by Johann Strauss II are catalogued in OperaPedia, listed in chronological order of premiere. Click any title for the full editorial entry, including synopsis, premiere details, language, and notable arias.

• n/a Das Spitzentuch der Königin German
• 1861 Der Karneval in Rom, 1861 Theater an der Wien German
• 1874 Die Fledermaus, 1874 German
• 1874 Die Fledermaus discography, 1874 Theater an der Wien German
• 1875 Cagliostro in Wien, 1875 German
• 1878 Blindekuh, 1878 Theater an der Wien German
• 1881 Der lustige Krieg, 1881 Theater an der Wien German
• 1883 Eine Nacht in Venedig, 1883 German
• 1897 Die Göttin der Vernunft, 1897 Theater an der Wien German

Stylistic Position & Reception

Johann Strauss II's position within the operatic canon has been shaped by performance tradition as much as by scholarly judgment. The works that survive in the active repertory of the major houses tend to be those that combine memorable vocal writing with dramatically effective situations · qualities that audiences continue to respond to from one generation to the next. Other works in the catalogue, less frequently performed, often reward closer study by singers, conductors, and dramaturges seeking to broaden the standard repertoire.

Modern scholarship on Johann Strauss II has been substantially enriched by the publication of critical editions of the major scores, by the rediscovery of forgotten works and revisions, and by the steady documentation of performance history through recordings, theatre archives, and contemporary criticism. The biographical sketch above and the catalogue of works are compiled from public-domain reference sources, including the structured Wikidata layer and the corresponding English Wikipedia article.

Editorial Note

OperaPedia maintains its composer entries as living documents, revised whenever new editorial work justifies a change. If you encounter a factual error in the biographical material above or in the linked opera entries, please write to the editors using the contact details on our about page.