News From VHSource, LLC Vol 2 February 2015 Herbert and Ziegfeld

the first time anyone in the New York entertainment Creating A Dream Team business had actually attempted to put together a “dream team.” Even more importantly, there was a ime to examine a relationship that is rarely hint of a shadowy power struggle swirling around mentioned and certainly almost never actually underneath the whole endeavor. Let’s look first at the Tdiscussed. It involves two giants of the early years primary players. of the twentieth century. (1859-1924) the composer went to work for Florenz Ziegfeld (1867-1932) Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., the primary initiator of the the showman producer in 1916. The title of the work was project, was a native of Chicago. He had attended the The Century Girl and it opened on November 6, 1916. It same high school that Harry B. Smith had once certainly was not a normal production in any way. It was attended. His father was in the cabaret/night club created under the auspices of the Century Entertainment business in Chicago and sent a 26 year-old Ziegfeld to Corporation, a company formed by the 49 year-old New York in 1893 looking for new undiscovered Florenz Ziegfeld, the creator of The Follies and the 48 talent to bring back to Chicago. After a rather year-old Charles B. Dillingham, the elegant seasoned discouraging trip, he found himself in the Casino th theatrical producer. It had two composers: the 57 year-old Theatre (Broadway and 39 ) taking in a rather tired Victor Herbert at the top of his career and the 26 year-old production of an old chestnut, Adonis, first produced , at the very beginning of his career. It opened in 1884. Its long time star, Henry E. Dixey, was at in a 2300 seat theatre which had been built for drama, and least slim but Adonis he was not, being in 1893 far was located almost a mile north of the relatively new removed from his theatre district. While the librettist hired initial success in the was Henry Blossom, one of New York’s best story tellers, burlesque from the production was billed as the first ever “All Star 1 8 8 3 - 1 8 8 5 . ” production. It was a smash hit that lasted for Z i e g f e l d ’ s 200 performances. discouragement only deepened until The Century Girl was followed exactly one year later by the curtain rose a second production , utilizing the same after the moldy old structure with the exception of replacing Berlin with musical on a (1885-1945) and Blossom with P. G. strongman act - the Wodehouse (1881–1975) and (1884–1979). five foot, eight and Kern, Wodehouse and Bolton had formed a team in 1915 half inch, 220 with , produced by the Shuberts. With pound glory known even bigger stars than The Century Girl, Miss 1917 was as Eugen Sandow a tremendous financial flop staggering to make 48 (born Friedrich performances and bankrupting the Century Entertainment Wilhelm Müller in Corporation. These two productions were quite possibly Körnigsberg in Hazel Dawn as The Century Girl 2 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 2 February 2015

1867), showing far more skin than was legally allowed in son George M. Cohan (1878-1942) took his family to 1893. Where Dixey had been a faded “Adonis,” here in New York and never looked back, developing a brand stark contrast was a beautiful, slim-waisted chiseled new genre, musical comedy, as he stretched his vision. Ziegfeld wasted no time, signed his first family’s vaudeville sketches into full length evenings. management contract that night and took Sandow back to Chicago. Soon the new manager had his supremely Florenz Ziegfeld went to work for the Syndicate in handsome physical specimen 1896. In the summer of that same year Ziegfeld went performing in a classy club and to Paris to discover new talent and met Anna Held allowing Chicago society ladies to (1872-1918), a professional Parisian born in Indiana. go backstage to feel the new born She was elegant, sensual and frivolous in a naughty star’s muscles. Edgy for 1894, but French postcard sort of way. Married at twenty to a Ziegfeld was on his way to wealthy middle-aged Uruguayan, that lucrative but glorifying his first human body, unsuccessful marriage seems to have simply drifted albeit male instead of female – away by 1893 so that when she met Ziegfeld in 1896, that would come later. It would Anna certainly did not feel encumbered. She knew not take long for Ziegfeld to see how to flirt and he knew what he wanted. He would beyond Chicago, leave his bring her to America, manage her, bed her, treat her as The great Sandow brothers to assist his father, and his wife until they divorced in 1912, even though they take Sandow on a three season had technically never married. tour of the country. After Sandow decided to return to England with his wife, Ziegfeld landed in New York It would be Anna who looking again for the undiscovered. The year was 1896. It suggested in 1907, that happened to be the same year the Syndicate was born. Flo create a “ like we love in Paris.” The On August 31, 1896, three sets of managing partners set Syndicate, Klaw, about controlling the theatrical touring companies of the Erlanger and Frohman, entire country. Such companies encompassed everything thought it a fine idea and from minstrel shows to theatre works (melodramas and made Ziegfeld an offer plays). Up until this moment there were hundreds of he could hardly refuse. independent companies doing their own bookings and This is where the story collecting their own money. gets interesting. owned the On this fateful day, Charles Frohman and Al Hayman; biggest vaudeville house Samuel F. Nixon and J. Fred Zimmerman; and Marc in - The Klaw and Abraham Lincoln Erlanger met in New York Victoria, built in 1899. Anna Held in 1902 at the Holland House on Thirtieth and Fifth and decided The theatre sat on the corner of 42nd and Broadway at that it was time to simplify the system. Nixon and the base of what was then known as Longacre Square. Zimmerman controlled a huge number of theatres in the Hammerstein and his son Willie had devoted the Midwest and West. Frohman was a major producer and theatre totally to vaudeville in 1904 and managed to Klaw and Erlanger controlled a significant slice of the land the single most lucrative agreement ever created talent in New York. Frohman would produce and Klaw in the entertainment world. Hammerstein convinced and Erlanger would be the booking agents. Instead of all the principal vaudeville managers led by Benjamin the little guys doing their own bookings, they could all go Franklin Keith (1846-1914), Frederick Freeman to work for these six gentlemen. The organization they Proctor (1851-1929) and Tony Paster (1837-1908), formed became known as the Syndicate, partly we’re sure that he and he alone would produce vaudeville in New because of the strong-arm tactics involved, and it changed York City from 30th street north to 96th Street. The the face of America’s touring industry forever. They forgot managers agreed to such a preposterous arrangement to ask if anyone minded. Fascinatingly, it would force a simply to keep Hammerstein from joining forces with certain family out of the touring business entirely. Eldest one or the other of them and driving the rest out of 3 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 2 February 2015 business. Such was the power of Oscar Hammerstein I in major step above vaudeville. He hired fellow 1904. Chicagoan Harry B. Smith (who had already written 8 of Herbert’s first 18 theatrical works) to write a sort of script that would pattern the production after the Folies Bergère in Paris. The focus was to be on beautiful women in all sorts of situations. Ziegfeld wanted big and thus hired Julian P. Mitchell, (1854- 1926). Mitchell was the first real American stage director as we know the term today. As such he had made a huge reputation with both the 1902-03 extravaganzas Wizard of Oz and Babes In Toyland. NOTE: An extravaganza is a musical production marked by a loose structure, a frivolous theme, and elaborate costuming and staging. Mitchell just happened to also have directed 4 of Herbert’s first 18 works. Thus, both the writer and director who were asked to create the first of 1907, opening July 7, 1907, had a working relationship with Victor Herbert. Hammerstein’s Olympia in 1895

Flash forward to 1907. Longacre Square was now Times This situation would continue with the Follies of Square, renamed in 1906. The Syndicate was a huge power 1908, 1909, 1910 and 1911, all at the Jardin de Paris. controlling the entire country with theatrical bookings, Each Follies evolved more and more into what we ruling with an iron hand and the use of blacklisting. “Work now come to expect, with the 1910 being the first to for us or don’t work at all.” They had taken over the failed showcase major stars regularly. It’s fascinating that vacant Hammerstein Olympia theatre (the block long these early Follies coincided almost exactly with the entertainment complex between 44th and 45th streets built life of the Manhattan Opera Company. Whether in 1895 which faced Times Square) and renamed it The Ziegfeld was truly aware or not, the Syndicate was New York Theatre. The huge building was subdivided clearly using him to combat Willie Hammerstein over into three theatres and the Syndicate offered the Roof in the Victoria. It was a tactic that did not work. to Ziegfeld to produce something to rival the Victoria which sat across the Square averaging In 1913, Ziegfeld moved his Follies to the New $200,000 in profit every year. The Syndicate needed Amsterdam Theatre (1902 - just off Time something that was not really vaudeville, but would pull in Square) to take advantage of its 1700 seat house. He the public like vaudeville. Thus, the group began to still remained within the Syndicate as Klaw and maneuver around Oscar Hammerstein I’s iron fist Erlanger owned the New Amsterdam. That was a agreement for vaudeville in New York City. relationship that would eventually become very problematic for Ziegfeld, especially when the Shubert Just a reminder that we are talking 1907: Oscar was busy Brothers decided to go to war with the Syndicate. destroying the Metropolitan Opera Company’s box office Why? The Shuberts had been doing their own take with his Manhattan Opera Company down on 34th accumulation of theatres across the country and in Street, fueled by cash gathered every night in the Victoria. New York. As always, the struggle was over power He was also touting Victor Herbert as the composer to and money, and the Shuberts were primed to win. write the first American Opera during this same time period. Knowing Oscar, that meant Victor Herbert’s name The Syndicate had met resistance almost from the was in the papers almost as much as his own. first, primarily from agents, managers and even actors themselves. Their answer had been a blacklist. The Ziegfeld rose to the challenge, remodeled and redesigned Shubert Brothers [Lee (1871-1953), Sam S. (1878- the Roof Garden to open as the Jardin de Paris. He set 1905) and Jacob J. (1879-1963)] had at first joined out to create a more elaborate high class variety show - a with the Syndicate for a three year period. Then they began to push their weight around and challenge the 4 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 2 February 2015 group. Also in May of 1910, 1,200 small town theatre That is how we come to The Century Girl. In an effort owners joined together to form the National Theatre to distance himself from the Syndicate, Ziegfeld went Owners Association. The Syndicate was on its way out. into partnership with Charles B. Dillingham and This was helped significantly by the formation of Actors formed the Century Entertainment Corporation. He Equity Association in 1913 which finally gave a voice to decided to “out-do” his own Follies. NOTE: Ziegfeld actors. However, that pesky agreement held by never ceased producing those Follies. Hammerstein would not be relinquished until 1914 when Hammerstein needed money to build his last theatre in New York, The Lexington Opera House on Lexington Avenue and 51st Street. He sold those rights to Martin Beck and the Keith-Albee Circuit for $250,000. When Hammerstein did that he personally sealed the doom of the Victoria.

By 1915, Klaw and Erlanger still retained their , but their power was now waning and it was time for Ziegfeld to distance himself from the infamous managers Klaw and Erlanger.

Getting back to the other major producer of The Century The Century Theatre, 62nd and Central Park West Girl, the very elegant Charles B. Dillingham (1868-1934) was himself building a very distinguished reputation as a New York producer of musical comedy and . His There was a huge beautiful “white elephant” of a career spanned 1903 to 1934 and included over 110 theatre located just above Columbus Circle on 62nd productions. In particular, he had a long history as and Central Park West – the Century Theatre. It had Herbert’s producer having done Miss Dolly Dollars in been the brain child of Heinrich Conried (1855- 1905, Mlle Modiste in 1905, The Red Mill in 1906, The 1909), the manager of the Metropolitan Opera Tattooed Man in 1907, The Prima Donna in 1909, The Company when all the hoohah (commonly called the Slim Princess in 1910, and The Lady of the Slipper in Opera Wars) with Oscar Hammerstein I and the 1912. The latter was the last of the massive works known Manhattan Opera Company had first begun. as an extravaganza. In short when it came to full fledged Readers may remember that Conried was fired and theatrical productions, Dillingham was the man to beat. replaced by Giulio Gatti-Casazza (1869-1940) in Or better yet – join! 1908 for failure to stave off the Hammerstein crisis.

By 1916 the Shuberts had managed to break the This 2,300 seat theatre was designed and built under Syndicate’s stranglehold on vaudeville outside of Times the name The New Theatre, and opened initially on Square. They controlled the Winter Garden (1911), the November 6, 1909. Its purpose was to be a resident Sam S. Shubert (1913), the Forty-Fourth Street (1913), stock theatre free from all commercialism. However, and the Booth (1913). NOTE: By 1924 the Shubert it had two major flaws: its huge size was not Organization would own or lease 86 theatres across the conducive to intimate drama and its acoustics for the country. While the Syndicate had been ruthless, the spoken word were abysmal. In short, between 1909 Shuberts were even more so until they had wrestled the and 1915, the theatre essentially was a huge failure. In power from the older group. The Shuberts built the Winter reality it was probably the perfect venue to become the Garden to rival the New Amsterdam, built and owned by permanent Herbert theatre which all of New York had Klaw and Erlanger. The Shuberts also took on Ziegfeld as been talking about off and on since Naughty Marietta they began to stage their own Shubert Follies. The in 1910, but for one rather significant factor. Conried brothers equated Ziegfeld with the Syndicate and were probably hated Herbert and his grand opera Natoma bound to outdo him. as much as he loathed Oscar Hammerstein I. 5 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 2 February 2015

The egos of both Ziegfeld and Dillingham made them Fortunately, Herbert was able to put Berlin at ease, positive that they could overcome the theatre’s and the plan evolved around each composer working shortcomings and show the city that they could stage a alone on his own assignments. Again, there was no lavish successful musical production in a space without sitting down in a room to produce a song together. the aid of Klaw and Erlanger. We should also mention that While this was a singular one time occurrence, Berlin there was a third shortcoming – that long mile north of never forgot the experience. He would often tell the Times Square. story of listening to Herbert occasionally play the piano in rehearsals and not being terribly impressed. Ziegfeld became determined That reaction probably also helped put Berlin more at to get the very best composers ease. However, when it came time to add the for this new work. Thus came orchestra, and Herbert took up the baton, Berlin was about one of the strangest quoted as saying “its rich sensuous fullness sounded pairings of old and new that as if it were falling from heaven.” One can easily Broadway had seen in years. imagine Berlin’s nerves every time he sat down at the It would also be the first of piano to showcase his latest assignment with two only two occasions when fingers in front of Herbert. Herbert would share composing duties with The librettist for the work was Henry Blossom (1866- anyone. On July 11, 1916, the 1919), probably at the behest of Herbert as well as Century Entertainment Dillingham. Thus, the first “All Star Vaudeville Corporation signed a contract Revue” opened on November 6, 1916 to a very with Herbert to write and successful run of 200 performances. It was probably orchestrate whatever music a mixture of revue and extravaganza. The work was they felt they needed. The three acts featuring 19 separate scenes. Even more producers then immediately importantly, no one had ever amassed an “All Star hired the up and coming Vaudeville” cast in the entire history of vaudeville The young Mr. Berlin Irving Berlin (1888–1989) according to Ethan Mordden, in his book Ziegfeld, relatively fresh from his first major hit “Alexander’s the Man Who Invented Show Business, St. Martin’s Ragtime Band” in 1911. He also would participate in the Press, New York, 2008. creation of the music for the entire show but NOT collaborate with Herbert. The producers were aiming for There was a Century Girl in the opening number and two separate, very distinctly different styles. One wonders she represented the theatre itself. Herbert star Hazel to a certain extent, exactly why Herbert ever said yes. It Dawn (1891-1988) from his The Debutante (1914), must simply have been a particularly intriguing exercise. portrayed the Century Girl and was joined by Since we cannot hear the entire score today, it is unclear Broadway star Elsie Janis (1889-1956), vaudeville whether they actually achieved that stylistic goal. Herbert stars, Marie Dressler (1868-1934), Leon Errol appears to have written most of the pageantry and dancing, (1881-1951), Sam Bernard (1863-1927), vaudeville while Berlin handled the smaller scenes and skits. Given team Gus Van and Joe Schenck, dancer and later Berlin’s composing skills, Herbert must have also fashion designer Vera Maxwell (1901-1995), dog act orchestrated all of Berlin’s songs which would severely headliner Harry Kelly (1879-1955), and famed reduce any chance of two separate styles, even with blackface performer, Frank Tinney (1878-1940). Herbert’s orchestrating genius. Because Herbert was Herbert, Ziegfeld did not retain As would be any young composer, Berlin was just a shade any of Herbert’s handwritten scores for The Century under terrified. By his own admission, he could hear, and Girl although he does appear to have retained two-finger play, melodies brilliantly, but he could not read Herbert’s scores for Berlin’s offerings. Ziegfeld was music nor write it. He likened himself to a man who known to keep all scores and parts for each number in “could talk but knew not how to spell or write what he all of his productions in trunks in the basement of the said.” New Amsterdam. That was his solution to enable 6 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 2 February 2015 replacing any number quickly, whatever the reason. All grand finales. It also possibly occurred because all of the materials would be on site to expedite it. Where those Herbert’s contributions this time leaned a bit more trunks ended up is an interesting question, and a good towards the “song” side rather than the scenic reason why one rarely sees or hears a recreation of a production side and fell entirely within Act I. Stands Ziegfeld production. to reason that our composer would go out with a bang!

We do find that the full scores are available in the Library of Congress Herbert collection for The Century Girl:

Entrance of characters & the Century Girl Finale of Act II Humpty-Dumpty Love duet Act I You Belong To Me Under the sea sequence - Submarine scene The Romping Redheads (a jumping jack #)

One would need to locate a program for this work to ascertain if these encompass the entire portion of the production composed by Herbert. That would certainly be an interesting project for those of you looking for graduate Farmerettes On Parade in 1917 research work. Appealing to America’s patriotic enthusiasm and the fact that women were not to be left out of the war Obviously, the team assembled by Ziegfeld and effort, Herbert wrote “The Society Farmerettes,” Dillingham had an enjoyable time together as they decided celebrating the ladies staying at home and supporting to do it all again the next year for a production known as the troops with their agricultural efforts. Since Herbert Miss 1917. The only changes were the composing pairing was already drenched in Irish sensibilities and of Jerome Kern (1885-1945) with Herbert, replacing loyalties from his Eileen experience, he took a last Berlin, and the replacement of Blossom with P.G. 1917 opportunity to celebrate the songs of his Wodehouse (1881-1975) and Guy Bolton (1884-1979), grandfather, Samuel Lover (1797-1868) by working probably at the behest of Kern. NOTE: Kern, Wodehouse them into a rare double octet number entitled “The and Bolton were the team creating The Princess Theatre Singing Blacksmith of Curriclough.” Still, this was shows produced by ... ta da ... the Shuberts. If The a Ziegfeld production, and thus, the biggest Herbert Century Girl had been the first All Star Vaudeville number was a ballet scene, “Falling Leaves” danced production, Miss 1917 was cast with even bigger stars. and choreographed by Adolph Bolm (1884-1951). Lew Fields; Vivienne Segal, the Yama Yama Girl; Bessie Bolm was a highly esteemed Russian ballet dancer McCoy; Elizabeth Brice and Charles King, a singing and choreographer who had danced with both Anna couple; dancing couple George White and Ann Pavlová (1881- 1931) and Vaslav Nijinsky (1889- Pennington; Irene Castle, dancing solo; Marion Davies; 1950) as well as for ballet impressario Sergei Van and Schenck; a complete ballet company headed by Pavlovich Diaghilev (1872- 1929). In early 1917 he Adolf Bolm of the Metropolitan Opera Company; Vera was injured while on a tour of America with the Maxwell; Peggy Hopkins Joyce, Lilyan Tashman, and Ballets Russes and decided to stay in New York. He Delores. The rehearsal accompanist was George would dance and choreograph for the Metropolitan Gershwin. Opera Company but not before Ziegfeld scooped him up to work on Miss 1917. One lasting contribution of this true revue extravaganza was the amplification of the final scene in Act One into the evening’s showpiece. This had to have been a Herbert Miss 1917, opened in the same theatre, The Century contribution, since anyone who has ever done a Herbert (Central Park West at W. 62nd St.) on November 5, work, knows that his Act I finales have a tendency to be 1917 (almost exactly one year later than The Century huge, lasting 30-40 pages and definitely overshadow his Girl.) It was the biggest, most expensive musical up 7 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 2 February 2015 to that date – $300,000. It might also have been the best Interestingly, Ziegfeld asked Herbert to write a little revue ever. Unfortunately, it bombed - 48 performances something for the Follies of 1917 at the same time. only - six weeks. The Century Amusement Corporation Thus we find him contributing the major production slipped into bankruptcy. What happened? number the patriotic “Can’t You Hear Your Country Calling.” It was America’s entry into Possibly the length of the production - 8:00 pm curtain to after all, and yes, the full score is in the Library of a midnight final curtain. Possibly too much Ziegfeld. The Congress. production was a mile north of the regular playing Follies of 1917 – why go all the way uptown. Possibly because Just to add a little perspective to all of this, keep in there was no real GIRL in this one. Marion Davies was mind that Herbert had opened his Irish Opera (his Miss 1917 but perhaps just not enough GIRL. However, term) Eileen on March 19, 1917 in the Shubert this is the production for which Kern wrote “The Land Theatre. In addition and rather incredibly, somehow, Where The Good Songs Go.” It was a huge production between Miss 1917 and the Follies of 1917, in mid- number in which, again according to Mordden, “as various July and August, after a three week gig at Willow soloists and groups stepped forward, the music that had Grove with his Victor Herbert Orchestra, Herbert been the songbook of a generation was given encore, with managed to compose his 38th operetta. Her Regiment each singer made up to resemble the star who first sang the had its birth in the wilds of Lake Placid in the song.” It was this number that caused an interesting Adirondack Mountains at Camp Joyland. Its first ever tension between Herbert and Kern which was probably production was on October 22, 1917 in the Court never resolved. Square Theatre, Springfield, Massachusetts. Its Broadway opening was at the brand new Broadhurst When it came time for Vivienne Theatre (235 West 44th Street between Broadway Segal to present her song, Herbert and 8th Avenue) on November 12th (a mere seven suggested “Kiss Me Again,” saying days after Miss 1917 opened). Segal would make a lovely Fritzi Scheff (1879-1954). Kern All this to maneuver power relationships: Ziegfeld, countered with, no, she should sing Klaw & Erlanger, Shuberts, Hammersteins. However, “They Didn’t Believe Me,” as she Ziegfeld had obviously enjoyed working with Herbert, would make a darling Julia and quickly came to rely on the composer whenever Sanderson (1887-1975). Segal he needed huge sweeping production numbers. He decided she wanted to be “lovely” would next employ the composer again for the Follies instead of “darling” and chose of 1919 which opened on June 16, 1919. Next month, “Kiss Me Again.” Her decision we’ll explore the rest of the Herbert-Ziegfeld The lovely Miss Segal did not make a very happy Kern. relationship which lasted until the composer’s passing Ah, show biz, and its constantly in 1924. There are still a lot of twists and turns to be tugging egos. One wonders what he felt when, three years explored in this relatively little known working later, producer Ziegfeld asked Herbert to compose the partnership. “Butterfly Waltz” as the finale to Kern’s in 1920.

Again, Herbert retained his working scores and we find the An Exciting Herbert Possibility following full scores in the Library of Congress: The Windsor Theatre Group, founded in 1986 by Jeff Betty and Farmerette Girls and Ele Stewart, has announced the proposed End of Plaza Scene creation of an original work featuring Follow the Girl the music of Victor Herbert. Founded to preserve the Inbit in opening number rich musical heritage provided to the country by Irish Sketch Herbert and his contemporaries, and in celebration of Overture their 30th year of existence, this very special show Pantomime - second part will run three weekends in May of this year. The Valse de concert proposed melodrama will be set in the 1920s and 8 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 2 February 2015 utilize as many Herbert songs as possible. The production Opera (1938-1987). The two are particularly known will take place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, May for a major work, Kismet, which was first produced on 1 through May 17, 2015. There will be an evening Broadway in 1953 and won the Tony Award for best performance each Friday, both a matinee and evening musical in 1954. This creative team comes to mind performance each Saturday, and a matinee on each because instead of writing original tunes for their Sunday, making a total of 12 performances. The shows, which included Song of Norway (1944), Gypsy performance venue will be the wonderful Ozark Theatre, Lady (1947), Magdalena (1948), The Great Waltz 103 E. Lockwood, Webster Groves, Missouri. (1949), and Kismet (1953), Wright and Forrest would adapt music by great classical composers (for the The Stewarts are both native St. Louisans (Missouri). One aforementioned musicals, Edvard Grieg, Victor of their original mission statements was to hire only those Herbert, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Johann Strauss, and who lived in St. Louis, and the couple has remained true Alexander Borodin, respectively). Yes, you did see to that for their entire 30 years. The theatre they are now Victor Herbert in that list. Their Gypsy Lady, with a utilizing is also historic. book by Henry Myers, was a bit of a mis-mash of The Fortune Teller and The Serenade with music from both. It opened on Broadway on September 17, 1946 in the New Century Theatre (built in 1944 932 Seventh Ave. at W. 58th St., NYC). The work ran for 76 performances, closing on November 23, 1946. One simply never knows where great work is going to grow! Are the Stewarts another Wright and Forest? It can’t be known until they produce their work. It can happen, however. They have certainly chosen a guaranteed great composer to work with who also won’t argue with them too terribly much. It’s why we work on his original librettos. We’ll keep you posted on this ambitious project. The Ozark Theatre The Ozark Theatre, a building in a near suburb of St. Louis, Webster Groves, was originally a movie theatre, built in 1921. After the movie theatre closed in 1979, the Upcoming Herbert Performances building was re-purposed several times – as a dental school, as a pen factory, and most recently as an antique Thursday, February 26, 2015, 8pm, the Victor mall. The owner, Dan Stevens, and, the Stewarts pled a Herbert Renaissance Project LIVE! continues its case for live theatre before the Webster Groves City inaugural season with Herbert’s 1899 Cyrano de Council and won a Conditional Use Permit issued to use Bergerac. The single performance will take place in th the building for live theatre and other entertainment. As a Christ & St. Stephens Church, 120 West 69 Street, result, in the fall of 2012, Windsor Theatre Group held the New York City. Nathan Brian (Cyrano), Stephen very first live theatre performances in the historic Ozark Faulk (Christian) and Olga Xanthopoulou (Roxane) Theatre. As one can tell The Ozark Theatre is considered will offer this rarely heard 106 year-old score. one of the prettiest vintage theatre buildings in the world Individual tickets are on sale now at artful.ly/vhrp- and boasts some of the best acoustics in mid-America. live . Cost for adults is $35 while Seniors/Students/Union Members pay $20 (w/proper In attempting to create an original musical utilizing the ID). Visit www.vhrplive.org for more information. music of a major composer, the Stewarts’ project brings to mind the wonderful authors Robert Wright (1914-2005) Click HERE to see a Video for Cyrano and George Forrest (1915-1999), who worked together over 70 years, often commissioned by impresario Edwin Thursday, April 23, 2015, 8pm, the Victor Herbert Lester (1895-1990) for the Los Angeles Civic Light Renaissance Project LIVE! will end its inaugural season with Herbert’s 1910 Naughty Marietta. The 9 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 2 February 2015 single performance will take place in Christ & St. depth of snow, please dress appropriately for wading Stephens Church, 120 West 69th Street, New York City. to the statue if you plan on coming Sunday or A company of fourteen voices will offer up America’s Monday. finest example of operetta. Individual tickets are on sale now at artful.ly/vhrp-live. Cost for adults is $35 while We have a wonderful Google search set up that finds Seniors/Students/Union Members pay $20 (w/proper ID). all sorts of interesting tidbits on the Internet everyday. Visit www.vhrplive.org for more information. This past week we ran across this wonderful grand piano player-piano playing an Ampico roll of Victor Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, May 1 through May Herbert favorites. Here is the really sweet part. I 17, 2015. The Windsor Theatre Group will present an believe this is an example of Herbert playing himself. Original Melodrama featuring the music of Victor Herbert. That’s what his contract with Ampico required. Victor There will be an evening performance each Friday, both a Herbert playing Victor Herbert. It’s possible I might matinee and evening performance each Saturday, and a be wrong but you will enjoy THIS YouTube Clip matinee on each Sunday, making a total of 12 anyway. Choose the one labeled “Mason Hamlin performances. The performance venue will be the Ampico Plays Victor Herbert Favorites Mp3." You wonderful Ozark Theatre, 103 E. Lockwood, Webster might also want to explore some of the other listed Groves, Missouri. Watch this organization’s Facebook Herbert clips. page for further ticket information. Reminder: Performance materials published by Friday, May 8, 2015, 7:30 pm and Saturday, May 9, VHSource, LLC are available for an amazing number of 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm, the Light Opera of New York will Herbert works and more materials are being created present Herbert’s 33rd operetta, The Only Girl (1914) at every year. All the information you need is in Shop the Peter Norton Symphony Space, Leonard Nimoy VHSource or available in the Resources Menu under Thalia Theatre on 95th and Broadway in New York City. Web Links or E-mail Contacts right now. E-mail us Watch the LOONY web site for ticket information. with any questions Alyce's Musings . . . Keep sending your Herbert programming dates so we can fill up the calendar with great events. Hopefully we will see some of you at See you February 1 or 2, 2015 in Central Park! noon today in Central Park. Gather at the Herbert statute near the Naumberg Bandshell and the Bethesda Fountain for a celebration and picture taking on Herbert’s birthday – February 1. Then we will do it once again on Monday, February 2 at 12:30 pm at the same location when the Central Park Conservancy officially places the wreath from the Victor Herbert Foundation. Two places can supply referenced back issues you may like to read: We’ll post the pictures from the both gatherings next 1) The E-Book section of Shop VHSource has the new Foundations which will give you all the VHS newsletters from month. March 2009 through February 2013. Explore discussions of the Herbert from Prince Ananias (1894) through The Dream We also did in fact survive Girl (1924) in one searchable source. You will also find the 2013 Year Book containing all 12 2013 Newsletters. Or 2) simply Snow Storm Juno - don’t you login to www.vhsource.com and choose “Archived Newsletters in just love it that they are the User Menu” for 2014 newsletters. Reminder: if you are not beginning to name ALL storms logged in, you will not see a User Menu or any samples. now. We did get a little over All current newsletters are available to registered users of 10 inches in Central Park. www.vhsource.com. Simply follow the link, create a user name Therefore, given the expected and password and enjoy this newsletter delivered to your inbox free of charge every month. What you might expect! very cold temperatures and