Social Democrats in 3/4 Time "Less work and more pay!" It was with this perennial demand that Senior Overman Martin instigated the first strike on the Viennese operetta stage. Even though the miners’ struggle gets lost in the further intricacies of the action, after the premiere of Der Obersteiger (The Overman) by Carl Zeller the press issued this verdict:
"Here a dangerous theme was treated burlesquely. The role of the ragtag Social Democrat was played with delicious points by Alexander Girardi, Vienna’s undisputed stage favorite."

The composer Carl Zeller already had Girardi to thank for the success of Der Vogelhändler on its premiere in 1891. Composing was actually Zeller’s side job; his main occupation was that of a principal and later section head in the Imperial and Royal Ministry of Education. Those were the days, when melodies like 'Schenkt man sich Rosen in Tirol' or 'Als mein Ahnl zwanzig Jahr' flowed from the pens of public servants!

Zeller’s music is distinguished by stylistic elegance and unaffected melodiousness. A new highlight among our operetta discoveries!