The Fortune Teller (operetta)

The Fortune Teller (operetta)

Infobox Musical
name= The Fortune Teller
subtitle=


caption=
music= Victor Herbert
lyrics= Harry B. Smith
book= Harry B. Smith
basis=
productions= 1898 Broadway
1929 Broadway revival
awards=

"The Fortune Teller" is an operetta in three acts written by Victor Herbert, with a libretto by Harry B. Smith. After a brief tryout in Toronto, it premiered on Broadway on September 26 1898 at Wallack's Theatre and ran for 40 performances. It was revived on November 4 1929 at Jolson's 59th Street Theatre and ran for 16 performances.

Herbert wrote his sixth operetta for prima donna Alice Nielsen and her newly formed Alice Nielsen Opera Company. Nielsen having earned widespread praise in "The Serenade", 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 a gypsy fortune teller, Musette, arrives, she is mistaken for Irma, a case of mistaken identity that fosters many complications.

Songs include the famous "Gypsy Love Song," ('Slumber on, my little gypsy sweetheart') and "Romany Life."

Roles and original cast

*Musette, a fortune teller* - Alice Nielsen
*Captain Ladislas, a Hussar - Frank Rushworth
*Fresco, a dance master (trouser role) - Richard Golden
*Count Berezowski, a composer of no renown - Joseph W. Herbert
*Irma, a ballet student* - Alice Nielsen
*Mlle Pompon, a fading prima donna - Marguerite Sylva
*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
*Always Do as People Say You Should endash Musette and Ladies Chorus
*Hungaria's Hussars endash Captain Ladislas and Hussars
*Ho! Ye Townsmen endash Sandor
*Romany Life endash Musette, Sandor, Vaninka, Boris, Rafael and Chorus
*Czardas endash ;Act 2
*Signor Monsieur Moldoni endash Fresco and Chorus
*The Serenade of All Nations endash Musette, Count Berezowski, Fresco, Boris and Mixed Chorus
*Gypsy Love Song (Slumber On, My Little Gypsy Sweetheart) endash Sandor, Musette and Chorus
*Only in the Play endash Mlle. Pompom and Captain Ladislas ;Act 3
*Gypsy Jan endash Sandor and Chorus
*The Power of the Human Eye endash Boris and Count Berezowski
*The Lily and the Nightingale endash Musette

References

* [http://www.musicalheaven.com/Detailed/1742.html Information from Musical Heaven]

External links

* [http://www.ibdb.com/show.asp?ID=3683 "The Fortune Teller"] at the Internet Broadway Database
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DEFD91F3EF936A1575AC0A960948260 NY Times review of a 1986 production]
* [http://www.pdmusic.org/herbert.html Midi files, including two from "The Fortune Teller"]
* [http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mgillett/coghome.htm Information about an upcoming 2008 production of "The Fortune Teller"]


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