''The Siren'' is a

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

in three acts, adapted from the

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

''Die Sirene'', with music by

Leo Fall Leopold Fall (2 February 187316 September 1925) was an Austrian Kapellmeister and composer of operettas. Life Born in Olmütz (Olomouc), Leo (or Leopold) Fall was taught by his father Moritz Fall (1848–1922), a bandmaster and composer, who sett ...

and text by

Leo Stein Leo Stein (May 11, 1872 – July 29, 1947) was an American art collector and critic. He was born in Allegheny City (now in Pittsburgh), the older brother of Gertrude Stein. He became an influential promoter of 20th-century paintings. Education ...

and A. M. Willner. This was first performed in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

on January 5, 1911. ''The Siren'' was adapted into English by

Harry B. Smith Harry Bache Smith (December 28, 1860 – January 1, 1936) was a writer, lyricist and composer. The most prolific of all American stage writers, he is said to have written over 300 librettos and more than 6000 lyrics. Some of his best-known works ...

. In addition to Fall's score, it featuring songs by

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...

and others, with additional lyrics

Adrian Ross Arthur Reed Ropes (23 December 1859 – 11 September 1933), better known under the pseudonym Adrian Ross, was a prolific writer of lyrics, contributing songs to more than sixty British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries ...

and others. It was first produced on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

Charles Frohman Charles Frohman (July 15, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American theater manager and producer, who discovered and promoted many stars of the American stage. Notably, he produced ''Peter Pan'', both in London and the US, the latter production ...

at the Knickerbocker Theatre from August 28, 1911 to December 16 of the same year, playing for 116 performances. It was directed by Thomas Reynolds.Bordman, p. 315

Synopsis

The police believe that a handsome marquis is writing satiric letters about the government. They hire a beautiful young woman to prove the case.

Roles and original cast

*Armand, Marquis de Ravaillac –

Donald Brian Donald Brian (February 17, 1877 – December 22, 1948) was an actor, dancer and singer born in St. John's, Newfoundland (now Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada). In 1907, he starred in the hit operetta ''The Merry Widow''. Life and care ...

*Lolotte –

Julia Sanderson Julia Sanderson (born Julia Ellen Sackett; August 27, 1887 – January 27, 1975) was a Broadway actress and singer. In 1887, she was born in Springfield, Massachusetts to parents Albert H. Sackett (also a Broadway actor) and Jeanette Elvira San ...

*Baron Siegfried Bazilos –

Frank Moulan Frank or Franks may refer to: People * Frank (given name) * Frank (surname) * Franks (surname) * Franks, a medieval Germanic people * Frank, a term in the Muslim world for all western Europeans, particularly during the Crusades - see Farang Curr ...

*Robertine – Veronique Banner *Pepi – Sara Carr *Grion – Gilbert Childs *Alberta – Gene Cole *Freda – Ethel Davis *Magda – Louise Donovan *Clarisse – Elizabeth Firth *Mimi – Jane Hall *Toni – Ethel Kelly *Ladislas – Victor Le Roy *Franzi – Helen May *Frau Eisenbehr – Florence Morrison *Malipote –

F. Pope Stamper Frederick Pope Stamper (20 November 1877 – 12 November 1950), usually credited as F. Pope Stamper or F. Pope-Stamper, less often as Pope Stamper, was an English stage and film actor who appeared mostly in Edwardian musical comedy. Born at Hamme ...

*Hannibal Beckmesser – Will West *Yvonne – Pauline Delorme *Ninon – Beatrice D'Essling *Justine – Clementine Dundas *Suzanne – Moya Mannering

References

Sources

* Bordman, Gerald. ''American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle'' (1978), Oxford University Press

External links

The Siren
at the Internet Broadway Database {{DEFAULTSORT:Siren, The Musicals by Jerome Kern Compositions by Leo Fall 1911 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals based on operas