Description
This is a rare die-cut advertising postcard promoting the two-week, Post-Broadway engagement of the FRANZ LEHAR, VICTOR LEON
and LEO STEIN Viennese Operetta "THE MERRY WIDOW" at Ford's Theatre
in Baltimore, Maryland. (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 Lahar's first major success, becoming internationally the best-known operetta of its era. Lehar 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 die-cut postcard measures 5 3/4" X 3 1/2" inches (9 3/8" X 3 1/2" inches when opened) and was never postally used. It includes beautiful graphics, promotional text and performance dates on the front and inside panels ..... CONDITION: With the exception of a penciled name on the correspondence side and minor edge wear, this rare postcard 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.
