''The Charlatan'' is an 1898 American operetta also known as ''The Mystical Miss'', with music and lyrics by

John Philip Sousa John Philip Sousa ( ; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches. He is known as "The March King" or the "American March King", to dis ...

. Today only excerpts from the work—"The Charlatan March", "The Charlatan Waltzes" and "The Charlatan Overture"—are commonly known. The operetta is set in the early nineteenth century in Russia with scenes in the village of Bohkara; at Gogol's house; and in the Grand Duke's Palace in Russia.

Production

''The Charlatan'' is a comic opera in three acts, with a book by

Charles Klein Charles Klein (January 7, 1867 – May 7, 1915) was an English-born playwright and actor who emigrated to America in 1883. Among his works was the libretto of John Philip Sousa's operetta, ''El Capitan''. Klein's talented siblings includ ...

and music by

. It was written for the

DeWolf Hopper William DeWolf Hopper (March 30, 1858September 23, 1935) was an American actor, singer, comedian, and theatrical producer. A star of vaudeville and musical theater, he became best known for performing the popular baseball poem "Casey at the Bat" ...

Opera Company, which presented the work for the first time on August 29, 1898. Directed by H. A. Cripps, the Broadway production ran September 8 – October 8, 1898, at the Knickerbocker Theatre in New York City.

Cast

as Demidoff * Edmund Stanley as Prince Boris * Mark M. Price as Gogol *

Alfred Klein Alfred Asher Klein (May 12, 1861 – February 21, 1904)R ...

as Jelikoff * George W. Barnum as Captain Peshofki * Arthur Cunningham as the Grand Duke * Harry P. Stone as Kofeff * C. Arthur as Skobeloff * Nella Bergen as Anna * Alice Judson as Katrinka * Katherine Carlisle as Sophia * Adine Bouviere as the Grand Duchess After a profitable tour, ''The Charlatan'' was reprised on Broadway beginning May 4, 1899, at the

Fifth Avenue Theatre Fifth Avenue Theatre was a Broadway theatre in New York City in the United States located at 31 West 28th Street and Broadway (1185 Broadway). It was demolished in 1939. Built in 1868, it was managed by Augustin Daly in the mid-1870s. In 1877, ...

. Hopper and his wife Nella Bergen starred in the operetta—titled ''The Mystical Miss''—at the

Comedy Theatre The Harold Pinter Theatre, known as the Comedy Theatre until 2011,

in London beginning December 13, 1899.

References

External links

*
The Charlatan
' at the Internet Broadway Database {{DEFAULTSORT:Charlatan Operetta 1898 musicals Broadway musicals Compositions by John Philip Sousa Musicals set in Russia Musicals set in palaces Musicals set in the 19th century