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Edwin Lester
Edwin Lester (30 March 1895 – 13 December 1990) was an American theatre director, impresario, and producer. He was the longtime general director of the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, which he founded in 1938. He also co-founded the LACLO's affiliate organization, the San Francisco Civic Light Opera, with Homer Curran in 1939. Under his leadership, the LACLO produced or co-produced several of their own shows, a number of which went on to wider success, including '' Song of Norway'' (1944), '' Magdalena'' (1948), '' Kismet'' (1953), ''Peter Pan'' (1954) and '' Gigi'' (1973). Lester also brought in shows from Broadway to California, often with their original casts. Biography Lester was born in New York City, and worked professionally as a singer during his childhood and then had a brief career as a concert pianist. He moved to California to work for Sid Grauman at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood where he staged spectacle prologues in the late 1920s. In the early 1930s he wor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Los Angeles Civic Light Opera
The Los Angeles Civic Light Opera (LACLO) was an American theatre/opera company in Los Angeles, California. Founded under the motto "Light Opera in the Grand Opera manner" in 1938 by impresario Edwin Lester, the organization presented fifty seasons of theatre before closing due to financial reasons in 1987. Typically the LACLO presented four to six productions during an annual season. The company produced or co-produced several of their own shows in addition to bringing in shows from Broadway to California, often with their original casts. Productions that originated at the LACLO and then went on to wider success, included ''Song of Norway'' (1944), ''Magdalena (musical), Magdalena'' (1948), ''Kismet (musical), Kismet'' (1953), ''Peter Pan (1954 musical), Peter Pan'' (1954) and ''Gigi (musical), Gigi'' (1973). Initially the organization mainly presented American operettas, but by the 1960s the company was presenting mostly musical theatre; although the company never completely left ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Das Dreimäderlhaus
''Das Dreimäderlhaus'' (''House of the Three Girls''), adapted into English-language versions as ''Blossom Time'' and ''Lilac Time'', is a Viennese pastiche operetta with music by Franz Schubert, rearranged by Heinrich Berté (1857–1924), and a libretto by Alfred Maria Willner and . The work gives a fictionalized account of Schubert's romantic life, and the story was adapted from the 1912 novel ''Schwammerl'' by Rudolf Hans Bartsch (1873–1952). Originally the score was mostly Berté, with just one piece of Schubert's ("Ungeduld" from ''Die schöne Müllerin''), but the producers required Berté to discard his score and create a pasticcio of Schubert music. The original production opened at the Raimundtheater in Vienna on 15 January 1916 and ran for over 650 performances in its original run in Austria and for hundreds more in Germany, followed by many successful revivals. It starred as Schubert and Anny Rainer as Hannerl. Schrödter was already 60 in 1916. In 1886, he ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in Manhattan. The ceremony is usually held in June. The awards are given for Broadway productions and performances. One is also given for regional theatre. Several discretionary non-competitive awards are given as well, including a Special Tony Award, the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, and the Isabelle Stevenson Award. The awards were founded by theatre producer and director Brock Pemberton. They are named after Antoinette "Tony" Perry, an actress, producer and theatre director who was co-founder and secretary of the American Theatre Wing. The trophy consists of a spinnable medallion, with faces portraying an adaptation of the comedy and tragedy masks, mounted on a black base with a pewter swivel. The rules for the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mary Martin
Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in ''South Pacific (musical), South Pacific'' (1949), the Peter Pan, title character in ''Peter Pan (1954 musical), Peter Pan'' (1954), and Maria von Trapp in ''The Sound of Music'' (1959). Over the course of her career, she won four Tony Awards and an Emmy Award. She was named a Kennedy Center Honors, Kennedy Center Honoree in 1989. She was the mother of actor Larry Hagman. Early life Martin was born in Weatherford, Texas. Her autobiography described her childhood as secure and happy. She had close relationships with both of her parents as well as her siblings. As a young actress Martin had an instinctive ear for recreating musical sounds. Martin's father, Preston Martin, was a lawyer, and her mother, Juanita Presley, was a violin teacher. Although the doctors ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edvard Grieg
Edvard Hagerup Grieg ( , ; 15 June 18434 September 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the leading Romantic music, Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide. His use of Music of Norway, Norwegian folk music in his own compositions brought the music of Norway to fame, as well as helping to develop a Norwegian romantic nationalism, national identity, much as Jean Sibelius did in Finland and Bedřich Smetana in Bohemia. Grieg is the most celebrated person from the city of Bergen, with numerous statues that depict his image and many cultural entities named after him: the city's largest concert building (Grieg Hall), its most advanced music school (Grieg Academy) and its professional choir (Edvard Grieg Kor). The Edvard Grieg Museum at Grieg's former home, Troldhaugen, is dedicated to his legacy. Background Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in Bergen, Norway. His parents were Alexander Grieg (1806 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Forrest (author)
George Forrest (born George Forrest Chichester Jr., July 31, 1915 – October 10, 1999) was an American writer of music and lyrics for musical theatre best known for the show '' Kismet'', adapted from the works of Alexander Borodin. He was also known professionally at times as Chet Forrest. Biography Throughout his career Forrest worked exclusively with the composer-lyricist Robert Wright. The two men had an affinity for adapting classical music themes and adding lyrics to these themes for the Broadway musical stage and films. Wright said that the music was usually a 50-50 "collaboration" between Wright and Forrest and the composer. While both men were credited equally as composer-lyricists, it was Mr. Forrest who worked with the music. '' ''Kismet'''' was one of several works Forrest created with Wright commissioned by impresario Edwin Lester for the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera (LACLO). '' Song of Norway'', '' Gypsy Lady'', '' Magdalena'', and their adaptation of '' The G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert Wright (writer)
Robert Craig Wright (September 25, 1914 – July 27, 2005) was an American composer-lyricist for Hollywood and the musical theatre, best known for the Broadway musical and musical film '' Kismet'', for which he and his professional partner George Forrest adapted themes by Alexander Borodin and added lyrics. ''Kismet'' was one of several Wright and Forrest creations that was commissioned by impresario Edwin Lester for the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera. '' Song of Norway'', ''Gypsy Lady'', '' Magdalena'', and their adaptation of '' The Great Waltz'' were also commissioned by Lester for the LACLO. The LACLO passed most of these productions to Broadway. Wright was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Wright and Forrest had an affinity for adapting classical music themes and adding lyrics to these themes for Hollywood and the Broadway musical stage. Wright said that the music was usually a 50-50 "collaboration" between Wright and Forrest and the composer. While both men w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Milton Lazarus
Milton Lazarus (1898 or 1899 – March 1, 1955) was an American playwright and screenwriter. He began his career as a Press Agent before pursuing a career as a writer. He wrote the book for the Broadway musicals '' Shoot the Works'' (1931), ''New Faces of 1936'' (1936), and '' Song of Norway'' (1944). Several of his stage plays were also mounted on Broadway, including ''Whatever Goes Up'' (1935), ''I Want a Policeman'' (1936), ''Every Man for Himself'' (1940), and ''The Sun Field'' (1942). His play ''Sudden Money'' was adapted into a 1939 film. He wrote the screenplay A screenplay, or script, is a written work produced for a film, television show (also known as a '' teleplay''), or video game by screenwriters (cf. ''stage play''). Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of w ...s to the films '' When the Lights Go On Again'' (1944) and '' Paris Follies of 1956'' (1955). He died at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles at the age of 56. Exte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roberta (musical)
''Roberta'' is a musical from 1933 with music by Jerome Kern, and lyrics and book by Otto Harbach. The playful romantic comedy is based on the novel ''Gowns by Roberta'' by Alice Duer Miller. It features the songs " Yesterdays", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", " Let's Begin", "You're Devastating", "Something Had To Happen", "The Touch of Your Hand" and "I'll Be Hard to Handle". Productions The original Broadway production opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre on November 18, 1933, and ran for 295 performances closing on 21 July 1934. It starred Tamara Drasin (billed as Tamara), Bob Hope, George Murphy, Lyda Roberti, Fred MacMurray, Fay Templeton, Ray Middleton (billed as Raymond E. Middleton), Allan Jones, and Sydney Greenstreet. Hope, Murphy, MacMurray and Greenstreet were not yet the Hollywood stars they would soon be, and Middleton was not the Broadway leading man he would become after '' Annie Get Your Gun''. An Australian production opened at His Majesty's Theatre in Melbourn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 100 stage works, including such classics as "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", "A Fine Romance (song), A Fine Romance", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", "The Song Is You", "All the Things You Are", "The Way You Look Tonight" and "Long Ago (and Far Away)". He collaborated with many of the leading librettists and lyricists of his era, including George Grossmith Jr., Guy Bolton, P. G. Wodehouse, Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II, Dorothy Fields, Johnny Mercer, Ira Gershwin and Yip Harburg. A native New Yorker, Kern created dozens of Broadway theatre, Broadway musicals and musical films, Hollywood films in a career that lasted for more than four decades. His musical innovations, such as 4/4 dance rhythms and the employment of syncopati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The New Moon
''The New Moon'' is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel, and Laurence Schwab. The show was the third in a string of Broadway hits for Romberg (after ''The Student Prince'' (1924) and '' The Desert Song'' (1926)) written in the style of Viennese operetta. Set around the time of the French Revolution, the story centers on a young French aristocrat in disguise, who has fled his country and falls in love with the daughter of a prominent New Orleans planter. It premiered in Philadelphia in 1927 and played on Broadway in 1928. It spawned a number of revivals and two film adaptations, and it remains popular with light opera companies. The piece turned out to be "Broadway's last hit operetta", as World War II and the Golden Age of musicals approached, heralding a change in musical theatre genres. Performance history ''The New Moon'' debuted in Philadelphia on December 22, 1927 at the Chestnut S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Student Prince
''The Student Prince'' is an operetta in a prologue and four acts with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly. It is based on Wilhelm Meyer-Förster's play ''Old Heidelberg (play), Old Heidelberg''. The piece has a score with some of Romberg's most enduring and beautiful tunes, including "Golden Days", "Drinking Song", "Deep in My Heart, Dear", "Just We Two" and Serenade (song from The Student Prince), "Serenade" ("Overhead the moon is beaming"). The plot has elements of melodrama but lacks the swashbuckling style common to Romberg's other works. Performance history It opened on December 2, 1924, at Jolson's 59th Street Theatre on Broadway theatre, Broadway and became the most successful of Romberg's works, running for 608 performances. It was staged by J. C. Huffman and was the longest-running Broadway show of the 1920s. Even the classic ''Show Boat'', the most enduring musical of the 1920s, did not play as long – it ran for 572 performances. "Dri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
