Donald Brian "MERRY WIDOW" Lina Abarbanell / Franz Lehar 1908 Boston Program

Description

This is a rare November 2nd, 1908 program (playbill) from the Post-Broadway engagement of the FRANZ LEHAR, VICTOR LEON and LEO STEIN Viennese Operetta "THE MERRY WIDOW" at the Tremont Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. (The production opened October 21st, 1907 at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City and ran for 416 performances before going on the road.) ..... The musical starred DONALD BRIAN as "Prince Danilo" and LINA ABARBANELL as "Sonia" (the Merry Widow) and featured OSCAR FIGMAN, VIRGINIA FOLTZ, HAROLD BLAKE, WALTER C. WILSON, DELMER C. LEE, HARRY HYDE, GRACE LINDSAY, F. J. McCARTHY, CAROLYN SEDLEY, JOHN THOMAS, LOUIDA HILLIARD, RAY SHAW, WRIGHT SYMONS, JOHN O'HANLON, COLOMAN VERES, MABLE JONES, CHARLOTTE ALLEN, LULA BISHOP, LULU EVERETT, CORA FLOWER, VIVIAN MONTGOMERY, MILDRED STOKES, GRACE EMMONS, FLORENCE BIZZELL and MARJORIE FAIRBANKS ..... Historical Background: "THE MERRY WIDOW" ("Die Lustige Witwe") premiered on December 30th, 1905 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna, Austria and was
Lehár
's first major success, becoming internationally the best-known operetta of its era.
Lehár subsequently made changes for productions in London in 1907 (adding two new numbers), and Berlin in the 1920's, but the definitive version is basically that of the original production .
.... CREDITS: Music by FRANZ LEHAR ("The Merry Widow", "Gypsy Love", "The Count of Luxembourg", "The Ziegfeld Follies of 1916", "Frederika"); Book by VICTOR LEON and LEO STEIN; English Lyrics by ADRIAN ROSS; Sets designed by WALTER W. BURRIDGE; Costumes designed by Madame ZIMMERMAN; Orchestra conducted by AUGUSTUS BARRETT; Directed by GEORGE MARION; Produced by HENRY W. SAVAGE ..... DETAILS: The 44 page program measures 5 1/8" X 7 3/4" inches and includes beautiful cover graphics, full production credits, cast list, synopsis of scenes, list of musical numbers, a photo of the star and wonderful vintage advertising (including ads for the 1909 Stevens-Duryea, 1909 Fiat, 1909 Packard, 1909 Lozier Cars and 1909 American Automobiles), but no cast bios ..... CONDITION: With the exception of light edge wear, this rare playbill is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.
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