''Der letzte Walzer'' (''The Last Waltz'') is a Viennese operetta in three acts, with music by Oscar Straus, to a

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

by Julius Brammer and Alfred Grünwald. It opened at the in Berlin on 12 February 1920 and starred

Fritzi Massary Fritzi Massary (31 March 1882 – 30 January 1969) was an Austrian-American soprano singer and actress. Early life and career Fritzi Massary was born Friederike Massaryk in Vienna in the Austro-Hungarian Empire on 31 March 1882. She was one o ...

. It was first given in Vienna at the

Theater an der Wien The is a historic theatre in Vienna located on the Left Wienzeile in the Mariahilf district. Completed in 1801, the theatre has hosted the premieres of many celebrated works of theatre, opera, and symphonic music. Since 2006, it has served prima ...

on 5 October 1923, with , Max Hansen, and

Richard Tauber Richard Tauber (16 May 1891 – 8 January 1948) was an Austrian tenor and film actor. Early life Richard Tauber was born in Linz, Austria, to Elisabeth Seifferth (née Denemy), a widow and an actress who played soubrette roles at the local theat ...

in leading roles.

English adaptations

An English adaptation for Broadway was prepared by

Harold R. Atteridge Harold Richard Atteridge (July 9, 1886 – January 15, 1938) was an American composer, librettist and lyricist primarily for musicals and revues. He wrote the book and lyrics for over 20 musicals and revues for the Shubert family, including sev ...

and Edward Delaney, with additional music by

Al Goodman Alfred Goodman (August 12, 1890 – January 10, 1972) was a conductor, songwriter, stage composer, musical director, arranger, and pianist. Early years Goodman was born in Nikopol, Ukraine, (another source says that he was born in Odessa, Ru ...

and opened at the Century Theatre in New York on May 10, 1921, running for 185 performances. The show was directed by

J. C. Huffman Jesse C. Huffman (1869–1935) was an American theatrical director. Between 1906 and 1932 he directed or staged over 200 shows, mostly for the Shubert Brothers. Many of them were musical revues, musicals or operettas. He is known for ''The Passi ...

. Another English adaptation was prepared for the London stage by

Robert Evett Robert Evett (16 October 1874 – 15 January 1949) was an English singer, actor, theatre manager and producer. He was best known as a leading man in Edwardian musical comedies and later managed the George Edwardes theatrical empire. In 1892, at ...

and Reginald Arkell. This version opened at the

Gaiety Theatre, London The Gaiety Theatre was a West End theatre in London, located on Aldwych at the eastern end of the Strand. The theatre was first established as the Strand Musick Hall in 1864 on the former site of the Lyceum Theatre. In 1868, it became known a ...

on December 7, 1922 and ran for 240 performances. It starred

Jose Collins Charlotte Josephine Collins (23 May 1887 – 6 December 1958) was an English actress and singer known by her stage name, José Collins, who was celebrated for her performances in musical comedies, such as the long-running ''The Maid of the Mo ...

, who sang "The Mirror Song" on BBC radio.

Film

The operetta was the basis for a 1927 German silent film ''

The Last Waltz ''The Last Waltz'' was a concert by the Canadian-American rock group The Band, held on American Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. ''The Last Waltz'' was advertised as The Band's "farewell concert a ...

'' directed by

Arthur Robison Arthur Robison (June 25, 1883 – October 20, 1935) was a German film director and screenwriter of the silent era. He directed 20 films between 1916 and 1935. Selected filmography * ''A Night of Horror'' (1916) * ''What Belongs to Darkness' ...

and starring

Liane Haid Juliane "Liane" Haid (16 August 1895 – 28 November 2000) was an Austrian actress and singer. She has often been referred to as Austria's first movie star. Biography Juliane Haid was born in Vienna on 16 August 1895, the first child to Georg ...

Willy Fritsch Willy Fritsch (27 January 1901 – 13 July 1973) was a German theater and film actor, a popular leading man and character actor from the silent-film era to the early 1960s. Biography Early life He was born Wilhelm Egon Fritz Fritsch, the only s ...

and

Suzy Vernon Suzy Vernon (1901–1997) was a French film actress.Powrie p.178 Vernon was born Amelie Paris in Perpignan in Southern France. She began her screen career in 1923 during the silent era and went on to appear in just under fifty films. She generally ...

. It was then filmed again in

1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito i ...

and in 1973.

Roles

*General Krasian *Baron Ippolith Mekowitch *Prince Paul *Lieutenant Jack Merrington *Captain Kaminski *Lieutenant Labinski *Ensign Orsinski *Vladek *Officer of the Guard *Countess Alexandrowna *Annuschka, Hannuschka, Petruschka, Babuschka, and Vera Lisaveta, her daughters *Chorus of Officer, Attendants, Court Ladies, etc.

Musical numbers

Act 1 * Man is Master of His Fate – Merrington * Love, the Minstrel – Vera * Mama! Mama! – Countess, Annuschka, Hannuschka, Petruschka * I Love You Best Of All – Ippolith and Girls * The Last waltz – Merrington and Vera Act 2 * The Laggard Lovers – Ippolith, Girls and Officers * The Mirror Song – Vera * I Must Not Tell You So – Babuschka and Ippolith * When Life and Love Are Calling – Vera and Merrington Act 3 *O-la-la! – Vera

References

External links

Information about the various productions
* * * * * *

{{DEFAULTSORT:Letzte Walzer, Der German-language operettas Operas by Oscar Straus 1920 operas Operas