''The Fortune Teller'' is an

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 ...

in three acts written by

Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, cellist and conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is be ...

, with 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 Harry B. Smith. After a brief tryout in Toronto, it premiered 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 ...

on September 26, 1898 at

Wallack's Theatre Three New York City playhouses named Wallack's Theatre played an important part in the history of American theater, as the successive homes of the Repertory theatre, stock company managed by actors James William Wallack, James W. Wallack and hi ...

and ran for 40 performances. Star

Alice Nielsen Alice Nielsen (June 7, 1872 – March 8, 1943) was a Broadway performer and operatic soprano who had her own opera company and starred in several Victor Herbert operettas. Background Her father, Rasmus, was a Danish troubadour from Aarhus. Her m ...

and many of the original company travelled to London where the piece opened at the

Shaftesbury Theatre The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden. Opened in 1911 as the New Prince's Theatre, it was the last theatre to be built in Shaftesbury Avenue. History The theatre was d ...

on April 9, 1901, running for 88 performances. It was revived in New York on November 4, 1929 at

Jolson's 59th Street Theatre The New Century Theatre was a Broadway theater in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, at 205–207 West 58th Street and 926–932 Seventh Avenue. Opened on October 6, 1921, as Jolson's 59th Street Theatre, the theater was desi ...

and ran for 16 performances. This was Herbert's sixth operetta, which he wrote for Nielsen and her new Alice Nielsen Opera Company. Nielsen, having earned widespread praise in ''

The Serenade ''The Serenade'' is an operetta with music and lyrics by Victor Herbert, and book by Harry B. Smith. Produced by a troupe called "The Bostonians", it premiered on Broadway on March 16, 1897 at the Knickerbocker Theatre and ran initially for 79 ...

'', requested and received not one but three roles in ''The Fortune Teller''. The story is set in Hungary and involves Irma, an heiress from Budapest, who is studying for the ballet. Irma is in love with a young Hussar captain but is being forced to marry the silly Count Barezowski. When Musette, a gypsy fortune teller, arrives, she is mistaken for Irma; the case of mistaken identity fosters many complications. Songs include "Gypsy Love Song" ('Slumber on, my little gypsy sweetheart') and "Romany Life".

Roles and original cast

*Musette, a fortune teller* –

*Captain Ladislas, a Hussar – Frank Rushworth *Fresco, a dance master (trouser role) – Richard Golden *Count Berezowski, a composer of no renown –

Joseph W. Herbert Joseph William Herbert (27 November 1863–18 February 1923) was a British-born American director, silent-film actor, singer and dramatist notable for being the first person to play Ko-Ko in America in a pirate production of Gilbert and Sulli ...

*Irma, a ballet student* – Alice Nielsen *Mlle Pompon, a fading prima donna –

Marguerite Sylva Marguerite Sylva (also known as Marguerita Sylva) (10 July 1875 – 21 February 1957) was a Belgian born mezzo-soprano who achieved fame not only on the opera stage but also in operetta and musical theatre. She was particularly known for he ...

*Fedor, Irma's twin brother* – Alice Nielsen *Sandor, a gypsy leader – Eugene Cowles *Irene, Trina and Ruth, ballet students *Corporal, a Hussar *Chorus The roles marked with an asterisk (*) are all played by the same woman.

Musical numbers

;Act 1 *Overture *Introduction and Opening ensemble *Always Do as People Say You Should – Irma and Ladies Chorus *Hungaria's Hussars – Captain Ladislas and Hussars *Ho! Ye Townsmen – Sandor *Romany Life – Musette, Sandor, Vaninka, Boris, Rafael and Chorus *Czardas – Musette and Chorus *Finale I ;Act 2 *Opening Chorus *Signor Monsieur Moldoni – Fresco and Chorus *The Serenade of All Nations – Musette, Count Berezowski, Fresco, Boris and Mixed Chorus *Gypsy Love Song (Slumber On, My Little Gypsy Sweetheart) – Sandor, Musette and Chorus *Only in the Play – Mlle. Pompom and Captain Ladislas *Finale II ;Act 3 *Gypsy Jan – Sandor and Chorus *The Power of the Human Eye – Boris and Count Berezowski *The Lily and the Nightingale – Musette *Finale III

References

External links

''The Fortune Teller''
at the

Internet Broadway Database The Internet Broadway Database (IBDB) is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It was conceived and created by Karen Hauser in 1996 and is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade assoc ...

Information from Musical Heaven
* ttp://www.pdmusic.org/herbert.html Midi files, including two from ''The Fortune Teller''br>Information about an upcoming 2008 production of ''The Fortune Teller''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fortune Teller, The English-language operettas Broadway musicals Operas 1898 operas 1898 musicals Operas by Victor Herbert