In opera, Erich Korngold is synonymous with the lush decadence of his occasionally revived early triumph Die Tote Stadt. In the concert hall, we sometimes hear his Violin Concerto, which is lush but not decadent at all. But mostly, he’s remembered as the man who fled the Nazis, wound up in Hollywood, and invented movie music as we still think of it today. Even when the movies were still in black and white (The Sea Hawk, anyone?), Korngold was composing in Technicolor. But eventually, he left Tinseltown behind, hoping to reconnect with his Austro-Hungarian roots. Revolving around a fashion designer and the glittering diva he secretly adores, Korngold’s operetta The Silent Serenade was conceived for Broadway but never got there. Maybe romantic farce fueled with intrigue, mistaken identities, and characters who burst into melodious rapture at the drop of a hat were all just too retro for its time. How about now? Attend the U.S. premiere and find out. And if you haven’t already, discover Mannes Opera. Its own fizzy microcosm within the College of Performing Arts at the New School, Mannes Opera trains stars of tomorrow. Under the leadership of Emma Griffin, who also directs The Silent Serenade, the students have explored repertory that embraces standards as well as intriguing curios like this one. Cris Frisco conducts. —Matthew Gurewitsch