Ayn Rand loved Viennese operettas. In her youth, they allowed her to experience a colorful and brilliant world with their delightful, memorable melodies, colorful harmonies and light-hearted librettos. This course examines and plays selections from the genre and several of Miss Rand’s favorites including Die Bajadere by Emmerich Kálmán, Der Bettelstudent by Carl Millöcker and others. It includes analyses of prominent musical features including melody, harmony, form and orchestration and briefly shows why the tunes are well-crafted and memorable. Musical terms are defined so that non-musicians can understand and evaluate the music and performances. This is music from the past that modern listeners can enjoy and allows admirers of Ayn Rand to discover and appreciate music that had a deep emotional impact on her.