Why would Gilded Age audiences flock to theaters in American cities to see a Viennese operetta that celebrated German nationalism and militarism? A team of University of Tampa faculty and students from the disciplines of history, music, and musical theater set out to answer this question. Local filmmaker Steven Nye followed the project, which culminated in a live performance of songs from Carl Millöcker’s The Black Hussar. Filmed at the historic Tampa Theatre, the reenactment used the libretto, stage manager’s notes, and conductor’s score from the original American production to bring this forgotten work back to life. Commentary from the research team explains why the musical comedy spent over a decade at the center of U.S. popular culture.

Tampa Theatre hosts the premiere of the documentary film, followed by a live performance of a song from the operetta and a brief conversation with the film’s director and producers. Admission to the special event is free. Doors open to the public at 5:30 pm.

Stay for Tampa Theatre’s second feature, The Pirates of Penzance, the hit 1983 film adaptation of the Gilbert and Sullivan classic by director Wilford Leach. The film starts at 7:15 pm and general admission is $10. Purchase tickets for the second feature at tampatheatre.org. 

Funding for March of the Black Hussars: Viennese Operetta in America was provided by a grant from the University of Tampa Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry. Additional support came from the Henry B. Plant Museum and the University of Tampa College of Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Education.

This special event is offered in conjunction with the Henry B. Plant Museum’s newest exhibit, Dressed for Success: Fashioning Manhood at the Tampa Bay Hotel. The exhibit will run through December 23, 2025.

March of the Black Hussars Viennese Operetta in America (Trailer)



Dressed for Success is graciously underwritten by:

Charles and Elizabeth Harris